Malawi coaches go five months without salary

Malawi national football team, the Flames’ coach Young Chimodzi and his deputy Jack Chamangwana have gone five months without pay.

Chimodzi:  Unpaid for five months
Chimodzi: Unpaid for five months

The coaches confirmed to SuperSport.com that they were yet to get their perks since last August when they penned one-year contracts. The actual salary figure remain a secret but media reports put it at around $3 700 per month.

The coaches nearly guided the Flames to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations from group B where they finished third on seven points, two points behind Mali and Algeria who qualified.

“These are the things that need to be looked into if we want to improve our football. We did not want to say this when the Flames were in the qualifiers. We would have been seen as making excuses. Not paying someone for five months is inhuman,” Chimodzi complained.

Chamangwana, who is a former Kaizer Chiefs captain and coach, admitted that he had a struggling time during the festive season as their pay masters, the Ministry of Youth and Sports were yet to pay them.

The coaches are hired by government but work under FAM on secondment.

The ministry’s principal secretary Justin Saidi has pushed the blame to the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) for delaying to recommend the coaches’ contract signing.

“So we are not to blame. In fact, we started reminding FAM about the contracts in March, but they only came back to us in May. Because their recommendation was made late, to also have them in the government system delayed. FAM was supposed to start the process four months in advance. However, we have been assured by the Human Resources Department that the coaches will be paid in January and in February, they will get their arrears,” Saidi said.

However, FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said they were not party to the signing of the contracts “as they were between the coaches and government.”

FAM president Walter Nyamilandu also said despite the delayed perks, his association has been granting the coaches some loans estimated at over K1.5 million (K450=$1) to keep them going while waiting for the government system to start paying the trainers.

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bwande
bwande
9 years ago

Just write NAC. They will come to watch your football matches and give you MK5 million and you will be paid. If they managed to give BEAM what more inu a sports. Think outside the box

Alex Likoswe
Alex Likoswe
9 years ago

Is Mr saidi a life Youth and Sports PS? He is a very underperforming civil bureaucrat yet the system favours him. Chief Secretary, please retire this zero performer man.

fkr
fkr
9 years ago

Working for the wrong entity. Get another job

mchewsa wa ku liongwe
mchewsa wa ku liongwe
9 years ago

wat apity situation

tonde
tonde
9 years ago

Justin Saidi, what if it were you in this predicament? 5 months in offices that are within LL (same city)?.
Don’t forget that these coaches have families to take care of.

FAMALAND
FAMALAND
9 years ago

It is in order thus according to our thin economy so there is nothing the Government can do at this point. I thought you received loans mwakathithi ? That was to keep you going and inu munadya zones? Sorry if the Government failed to pay Teachers, Judiciary and what is MPIRA and afterall SIMAWINANSO ATA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!khalani chocho.

sapitwa
sapitwa
9 years ago

So the loans you put interest on top when salary is free of interest

bons
9 years ago

indeed… who decide which person should be paid

ganimunthu
ganimunthu
9 years ago

Fire the entire Fam team.

A COMMONER
A COMMONER
9 years ago

OMG!!! Speaking 2 Supersports 4 what? Sympathy? Remember my words by this tym next year u guys wil b job less, its tym 2 spread ur CVs now. 5months no salaries and yet Walter, Suzgo and Justin r paid. This is unacceptable. If it was Mwai Kumwenda this wud hv bn an issue. Young and Jack shine ur eyes. The monkey does the dirty work and the baboon cums 2 eat.

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