Bango contemplates withdrawal of motion
Member of Parliament for Kasungu North Constituency, Mike Bango, says he is contemplating on whether to go ahead and move a motion requesting Parliament to source funds for the Malawi National Football Team or not.
Bango notified the August House that he was going to request President Dr Lazarus Chakwera through Parliament to head a task force which would source funds to help the country’s football team to prepare thoroughly for the Africa Cup of Nations finals to take place early next year.
But as Bango was making his preparations to move the motion this Thursday, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has formed its own task force aimed at achieving the same cause.
The task force at FAM is headed by Jabbar Alide with other members like Vizenge Kumwenda from NICO Holdings, Stain Singo from Life Smile Insurance, Felister Dossi (Executive Member of FAM), Khwesi Msukwa, Levi Mkunika from FDH Bank, Daudi Suleman, CEO for Silver Strikers Football Club Thokozani Chimbali and Mbumba Banda from Nation Publications Limited (NPL).
General Secretary for the Football Association of Malawi, Alfred Gift Gunda, said the task force had a very important role to play in sourcing funds for the country’s national team.
“FAM has set up this task force to help in sourcing all the resources that our national team needs to prepare and compete favourably at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“We looked at the interest these people have on sports and their ability to reach out to individuals and institutions that can help us mobilise these resources,” explained Gunda to the local media.
With this development, Honourable Mike Bango thinks it may not be relevant to ask the State President to head another task force whose aim is exactly the same as that of the task force established by FAM.
“I am contemplating on my next course of action. It may be childish for me to ask the President to help in sourcing funds when FAM has already instituted another task force with the same purpose.
“I can only wish the task force at FAM all the best to do their job well. As politicians, we are not competing with anyone on this issue,” explained Bango on a local radio station.
But sports analyst Dr George Kaudza Masina says FAM should have waited to see what would transpire in Parliament before instituting their own task force.
“Honourable Bango’s idea was good. I am very sure that the motion would pass. FAM would have waited. I know several Members of Parliament have been eagerly waiting for this motion. There is need for a single task force, very independent from FAM to gain more trust from the public.
“A task force headed by the State President would, in my view, fetch the amount needed within 24 hours. Everyone would definitely want to be associated with a task force headed by the president,” remarked Dr Masina on Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS).
Another analyst, Higger Mkandawire, has also faulted FAM, saying the football governing body should have waited for the outcome of the motion in Parliament.
“Both FAM and Honourable Bango are wishing our national team well. Both sides want money from Malawians and Malawian companies. It is therefore right and proper in my view for FAM to work in line with Honourable Bango’s idea. It does not make sense to have two task forces for the same cause,” said Mkandawire.
The Flames lost their strength testing match against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania 2 nil on Sunday at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Second Assistant Coach Bob Mpinganjira was in charge of the team as Head Coach Meck Mwase and his First Assistant, Lovemore Fazili, could not make it to Tanzania after testing positive for Coronavirus.
Stanley Sanudi wore the captain’s arm band during the match as Limbikani Mzava could not make it due to injury and his vice Christopher John Banda was pardoned by Meck Mwase to help his team in Mozambique in an important match when the team requested for the same.
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