Blantyre giants Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers owe former assistant coach Eliya Kananji K1.7 million in wages dating back to 2016.
Details have emerged that Bullets owe Kananji about K800,000 whereas Wanderers ought to pay the Civo Service United assistant Coach around K900,000. Kananji said Bullets were yet to honour his two months salary for the 2018 season while Wanderers owe him five months wages.
“I have been in touch with both teams but it is only Bullets who have shown willingness to pay. I will continue following up the issue with both teams until I get my dues,” he said. Kananji was reportedly getting about K400,000 per month at Bullets whereas Wanderers had paid K900,000 out of the K1.8 million package at the time of his sacking in 2016.
Bullets Chief Administration Officer, Albert Chigoga, said he needed some time to cross check details, that are in their possession.
I might give you wrong information, so let me come back to you later,” Chigoga said. Wanderers General Secretary, Victor Maunde, also asked for more time.
“I need to check with my colleagues if indeed we owe money some of our former coaches,” he said. National Football Coaches Association General Secretary, Davie Mpima, said Kananji’s case was not isolated as most coaches struggle to get their dues from clubs.
Mpima said the coaches have the rightto report such issues to the Industrial Relations Court. “It is not easy for us to follow up on such issues, especially unpaid salaries, as most coaches usually treat them as private and confidential until there are cases of nonpayment. Most of the coaches are not open to discuss their contracts with us,” he said. Kananji made history at both Wanderers and Bullets where he won both sides the Carlsberg Cup.
He was sacked at Bullets towards the end of the 2018 season alongside head coach Rodgers Yasin after crashing out of the cup when they lost 5-4 on postmatch penalties to Masters Security at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.
Zimbabwean mentor Kalisto Pasuwa took over and went on to win the league in 2018 before successfully defending it last season.
After losing his job at Bullets, Kananji moved to Masters Security before signing for Civo last season.