Bullets, Nomads say HRDC ‘offisde’ on stadium projects
Supporters for Mighty Be Forward Wanderers and Nyasa Big Bullets have demanded that Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) to abort their plans to lobby Parliament against allocating funds to the stadium projects.
The rights organisation wants legislature to block the funding of the projects included in the 2019/20 National Budget which Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha tabled in the National Assembly on Monday after President Peter Mutharika said he wants to fulfill the pledge he made during one of his campaign rallies for the May 21 election to build stadia for the two teams.
HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo said if Mutharika had indeed included funding allocation to the projects in the national budget, his organisation would lobby to have it rejected and instead channel the funding to the health and education sector.
But the supporters from the two teams at a press conference they convened at Kamuzu Stadium on Monday, said they expect HRDC to withdraw their intention and also to apologise within 72 hours or else they shall hold vigils at their offices in Lilongwe.
Led by Wanderers supporters chairman, Melvin Nkunika and Bullets director of supporters, Stone Mwamadi, they argue that HRDC is impinging on their right to own the good infrastructure that shall help the two teams develop the game.
“If Mtambo does not withdraw the statement he made and apologise unconditionally, we shall hold vigils at the HRDC office’s until he relents,” Nkunika said.
“HRDC should leave us alone and concentrate on their political agenda. They should not drag us into politics because football is for the good of the nation and it’s non-partisan
“Our teams have been in existence since the 1960s. We contribute players that make the national team but we have nothing to show in terms of infrastructure. HRDC should not use us to gain political mileage. We, therefore, demand that they should not interfere with Parliament’s proceedings otherwise if they go ahead we shall react badly.”
The supporters gave an example of Silver and Civo stadia as belonging to Silver Strikers and Civil Sporting but they were built by the same government.
“What HRDC is doing is offside. They should not take us for granted,” chipped in Mwamadi.
“Teams in Malawi also contribute tax for playing football. From the gate collections, the government claims 25 percent of the earnings.
“So the government can consider to build us stadia because at the end of the day the same football shall pay back through the tax we are charged at each and every game.”
Other speakers included the two teams supporters general secretaries Mavuto Chibambo for Bullets and Samuel Mponda for Wanderers, vice chairperson Bruno Gama for Bullets and Diness Chitsulo Wanderers, who all sent a stark warning to HRDC that what they have started is a fight they cannot win.
They said they feel insulted to with HRDC’s statement that branded the stadia projects as “illogical, lack of prioritisation and an outright abuse of public funds”.
“HRDC should not declare that the two teams are commercial entities because nobody owns the two teams, they belong to the public which pays tax,” Gama said.
“In the same vein we are also asking our supporters across the country to boycott the demonstrations that are being organised by HRDC.”
Mtambo said if Mutharika insists on the projects then he should use his personal funds and not taxpayers money.
Mtambo said it is “illogical” for the President and government to fund luxuries for commercial entities when pupils are still learning under trees without adequeate learning and teaching materials in many schools in the country.
But Mutharika maintains that this is one way of developing football in the country, saying the stadiums will always be used and enjoyed by the public.
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Mr President just build a national Stadium for Blantyre.
These are DPP cadets in bullets & wanders jersey Stone Mwamadi ndi cadet wankulu amene amanka namenya anthu ntaunimu nanji amupatsa kaudindo ndi umbuli wakewo akufuna kusokoneza timu. Awasiye a Nyasa atimangire stadium yomwe tinalonjezana potenga timu sizau cadet akupanga Anyonozi
Mr Nkunika and Mwamadi your education is too shallow ndipo MUKUMVETSA CHISONI NDI UMBULI UMENE UKUCHITA KUNUNKHA. NO TAXPAYERS MONEY BE USED ON CLUBS WHICH PRIVATE ENTITY AND THUS SOMEONE’S BUSINESS. LET THE CLUBS SOURCE FUNDS THEMSELVES AND CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN STADIUMS . ARE YOU NOT ASHAMED YOURSELVES FOR MISLEADING THE GROUP OF SUPPORTERS THAT THIS IS PURELY POLITICS.
Priorities are upside down! Let’s have healthy and educated people first, let the stadia come later
Melvin Mkunika and Stone Mwamaliza stupid fools. Your reasoning is s equal to that of a chicken. Your teams have really been in existence since 1960s with nothing to show because of poor administration, foolish, myopic and thieving leadership and ” supporters like you two. What are your election promises? If I may ask so you don’t know the meaning of a supporter? Can these two read? I could be wasting my time. The two teams cited in this write up, are government entities whie your two teams are privately owned entities. Once again, you are shupiti with your mucus… Read more »
Ndale ndizimene wachita Muthalikayu osati Mtambo coz ndalamazi ndizamisonkho yathu sitingakamangira sukulu ya Maranatha ngakhale Maranatha ana ambiri akukhodza mayeso kwambiri ine ndi supporter wa Nyasa koma sitingalole ndowe zimenezi achitire campaign ndalama misonkho yathu aaay!i aaayi!
TIMANGE MA STADIUM PAMENE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE DYING OF HUNGER …MISPLACED PRIORITIES
THESE TWO TEAMS ARE PRIVATE ENTITIES THEY CAN BUILD STADIUMS THEMSELVES NOT FROM PUBLIC PULSE. WHAT KIND OF SHIT THINKING IS THIS ABALE????
FUNSO NALI …TIMANGE MA STADIUM BUT MA PLAYER AKAVULALA MAKHWALA KULIBE KU CHIPATALA. NJALA YALOWA KALE KALE AND YET THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE .
FUCK ALL OF YOU AMENE MUKUFUNA MA STADIUM …..ABALE ANU KUMUDZI AKUSOWA NGAKHALE PANADO PA CLINIC …AND AMAYENDA 20 KILOMETERS TO REACH THE CLINIC YOTI ILIBE ZIPANGIZO ZOYENERA.
What do you expect from characters like Mwamadi ?They survive by stealing from soccer.They are opportunists.
This is just nothing but inconsiderate. Everyone person is defined by ones hobbies that shape one personality. Not every person likes football as one among the sporting or either likes both teams.On the other hand, every individual pays tax to the government that only cares a few. There are so many problems that this country is facing that needs government to take care off than building a stadium for a private entity. we need food,hospitals, drugs, roads medicine, schools so that we improve our living standards. what a government that does not consider the welfare of the majority!!!!!! Malawi Dzuka… Read more »
..Mr President you don’t promise what u can’t deliver, I can attest. These stadiums will be up!.Please just make sure this is accomplished before your term comes to an end.This is long overdue.Thank you
it is very stupid to argue on the stupid issues from stupid people , how can someone construct stadium yet our sons and daughters heaped themselves in our homes due to lack of jobs after being graduated from different universities ,mwapengana kodi inu ?
If your children are graduates but can’t create jobs for themselves then we must ask what type of graduates are they. A real graduate must think how to create a job for himself/herself and others without depending on government. If you depend on government to create jobs for you, your future is doomed. Why are we lazy to think? Why do we want the government to think for us? We don’t get a degree. We earn it. Prove to the nation that you earned a degree. The problem is that we are lazy and laziness is killing us. If you… Read more »
I don’t want to think that you are working.
A Joloza sizikugwirizana.Mbuzi meeeeeeeeeeeee
Ndiwe galu kobasi