Meck Mwase yet to sign contract with four months to go
Despite Ministry of Sports’ announcement on January 9 this year that Malawi national football team Coach Meck Mwase’s contract was ready for signing, the parties are yet to put pen to paper with four months before the agreement expires.
Mwase was offered a one year contract from July 1 last year as Belgian coach Ronny van Geneugden’s replacement after impressing at the Cosafa Cup in South Africa. This means the contract would expire in June.
In the absence of the contract, Football Association of Malawi (Fam) is paying Mwase’s dues in the hope that the government would reimburse it once the contractual matters are finalised.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Symon Mbvundula, said Mwase is going to receive his full package despite delays in signing the contract.
But Mbvundula could not give the exact date when the former TN Stars would sign the contract, saying there were some issues that needed to be finalised.
“We are almost there. There are just a few final touches remaining and it will not take long before everything is sorted out. I will not necessarily say when the contract will be signed, but let us be optimistic that this will happen very soon,” Mbvundula said.
Mwase himself was reluctant to comment on the matter, saying it was in the hands of Fam.
“My focus is on the forthcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burkina Faso next month. I would not want to preoccupy my mind with other issues.
“Of course no employee would be happy to work without a contract but I am still waiting. There isn’t much that I can do about it. Currently, I am busy with my players on the ground and it will not be good for anything distract me,” Mwase said.
Former Malawi national football team attacking midfieder, Peterkins Kayira, who is also a coach, said the signing of the contract should have come first before Mwase started working.
“I see a lot of unfairness here. What is it that the government is trying to finalise? Can a mere contract take as long as eight months? What is it that is in this contract that the coach should see now when he has worked for more than half of his contractual period?
“What is happening here is very abnormal. You do not start working before you see the terms of your contract. This malpractice has to end in our game,” Kayira said.
Mwase was given the position after posting some impressive results with the country’s under-20 and under-23 national teams.
