‘Mponela belongs to Mlatho Techno’
The aggrieved party in the Mponela FC ownership wrangle Gracias Chikoma has said he will seek legal redress after Football Association of Malawi (Fam) ruled that the team was registered as a limited company—Mlatho Mponela Football Club—in 2013.
A letter from Fam addressed to Central Region Football Association (CRFA) reads in part that the team’s shareholders are Steve Thokozire Chapola and Paul Sunganani Nsikula.
“As per the documents submitted to Fam under the 2019 Club Licensing implementation process, Mlatho Mponela Football Club Limited was incorporated under the Malawi Companies Act, No. 15 of 2013 on 7th March, 2020 and that the company is a private company limited by shares. The shareholders and directors of the company are registered as Mr. Steve Thokozire Chapola of P/Bag 352, Lilongwe and Mr. Paul Sunganani Nsikula of P.0.Box 31196 Lilongwe.
“Noting the legal registration status of Mlatho Mponela, it is prudent for Central Region Football Association (CRFA) to let the aggrieved party to make legal claim of the ownership of the club. In that process, you are thus advised that the aggrieved party in the matter to seek legal redress to the Registrar of Companies,” reads the letter.
Chikoma, in an interview Tuesday said he would engage lawyers.
“I am not satisfied with it [the determination] and I will definitely consult lawyers on the matter. The team belongs to me and justice will prevail,” Chikoma said.
In a separate interview, Chapola said his aim was not to block the sale of the club.
“We have the concession to manage the team but the owners are Mponela community. Our concern was that the procedures were not followed so we had a meeting with traditional leaders and we explained everything to them,” Chapola said.
CRFA summoned Chapola to meetings but he did not attend claiming he was busy. CRFA chairperson Austin Ajawa said they respect the verdict from Fam.
Mlatho were relegated from the TNM Super League last season.
