Disgruntled supporters in Mzuzu have threatened to travel to Rumphi Ground and wreak havoc during Saturday’s TNM Super League match between Ekwendeni Hammers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets if Football Association of Malawi (Fam) does not grant approval for Mzuzu Stadium to resume hosting matches.
Concerned soccer lovers have also planned to hold demonstrations against Fam with further intentions to move Sports Minister Uchizi Mkandawire to intervene on the matter.
Mzuzu has been starved of top flight football since August this year after Fam banned the stadium from hosting competitive games.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday at the stadium, Concerned Mzuzu Sports Supporters Chairperson Davie Chipeta said in conjunction with Mzuzu City Council, owners of the stadium, they have done renovation works on the facility in line with Fam’s demands.
“We have fulfilled our side of the bargain and all we are waiting for are the Fam officials to come and inspect the stadium. But it is unfortunate that they are demanding K400,000 for what they call logistical arrangements.
“They say the money is for allowance and public transport for the official who is supposed to inspect the stadium. But we are wondering why they want all that money when they have officials here who can competently do the job. We just cannot afford to raise that amount of money. We are also of the view that it is on the higher side,” Chipeta said.
He therefore threatened that they would wreak havoc at Rumphi if the match is not played at Mzuzu.
Fam Club Licencing and Compliance Manager Casper Jangale said they are dealing with the stadium owners.
“We are ready to inspect the facility as long as our recommendations are met. We cannot assign the very same people who inspected the stadium before. We need someone from Blantyre to travel and inspect the stadium, and such costs are covered by stadium owners and not Fam.
“We also pay Fifa when they come to inspect our stadia. Recently, Civo provided all necessary logistics for us to conduct a similar exercise and we opened the stadium. But be assured that we are communicating with owner of the stadium Mzuzu City Council and everything is in place,” Jangale said.
Super League of Malawi General Secretary Williams Banda said they will engage Hammers, Bullets and the concerned group of supporters.
“We want to deal with the matter amicably for the betterment of the league. So we will talk to them,” Banda said.
In August, Fam banned the stadium from hosting league and cup games, saying it needed a good pitch, a perimetre fence, proper toilets and dressing rooms.
During a visit in the course of the week, Times Sport observed that the perimetre fence, scoreboard and toilets had been fixed with some city council employees working on the pitch.
