FAM submits K115m budget to President Banda
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has taken its begging bowl to Malawi President Joyce Banda with a proposed K115 million budget to enable the association fulfill Under-20 and senior national football teams engagements.
FAM General Secretary Suzgo Nyirenda confirmed the development to Nyasa Times, saying that the Junior Flames will need at least K40 million while the senior teams budget is K75 million to meet the immediate expenses while waiting for the national budget in July.
“We believe that this budget would be able to meet the expenses for both the Under-20 and the senior national football team,” Nyirenda said.
Malawi Under-20 will play DRC in the final qualifying round while the Flames will have two assignments against Tanzania in a friendly and Chad in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The development comes barely two days after President Banda donated K25 million each to Malawi’s top clubs Bullets FC and Mighty Wanderers on Monday at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.
During the function attended by supporters, executive committee and players for both teams FAM president Walter Nyamilandu, who was one of the high profile sports officials at the event passed on a note to Information Minister Brown Mpinganjira to include the association on the agenda.
But Mpinganjira said the meeting was specifically called for the two teams and FAM should make its own arrangement to reach out to the president.
The association is currently sailing through financial crisis and threatened to withdraw from the Caf qualifiers after the Minister of Sports Enock Chihana gave them an option to choose between the Under-20 and senior team.
However the government bowed down to pressure to reassure FAM that it will fund both assignments.
This year’s President Cup was cancelled after FAM used part of the K60 million towards the national team’s activities.
