Sulom president pledges K10 million subvention
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president Tiya Somba Banda has promised to hike annual subvention for clubs to K10 million from K1 million.
Somba Banda, who is seeking re-election and will face Nyasa Big Bullets Vice President Fleetwood Haiya on February 25, said funds for the subvention have already been secured.
“This is not a campaign gimmick to woo votes but I am just committed to doing what clubs in this country want.
“From the sponsors TNM, we will give each club K4 million and the other K4 million will come from the K100 million grant that Fam is giving us. K80 million from that chunk will go towards this,” he said.
Somba Banda said they had asked Fam to give Sulom a waiver of 10 percent gate revenue which will generate over K45 million to complement the budget.
“A maximum of K3 million will be disbursed to clubs, giving us a total of K12 million to each team. We have just put it at K10 million,” he said.
However, Banda’s sole competitor in the election, Fleethood Haiya, said he will raise the subvention from K7 million to equal what Banda had pledged.
“Look, barely a week after I said I will increase the club subvention money from K1 million to K7 million, we have the president making a K10 million pledge. This is coming against a background that others within the football circles questioned the credibility of my pledge,” Haiya said.
He added that if his committee or system fails to raise the funds, then he will use his personal money to give to the teams.
Meanwhile, former Flames forward Peterkins Kayira, while appreciating Somba Banda’s pledge, said he would have loved to see that implemented long ago.
“In this country we are used to different campaign gimmicks. I am finding it hard to believe [what he is saying]. Where were these brilliant ideas all these years? Is it because Haiya has brought up his K7 million pledge?” Kayira queried.
Peter Fote is a Sports Journalist with huge experience in radio and Television reporting, production and presentation. He once worked with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and is currently working for Times Media Group.
