Mzuni FC thrown out of university campus but ready for Airtel Top 8 semis

Mzuzu University Football Club says they are ready for the Airtel Top 8 semi final match against Karonga United this Saturday at Mzuzu Stadium despite being ordered by Mzuzu University to stop using the institution’s sports facilities, including football pitch.

Mzuni Head coach, Gilbert Chirwa, told Nyasa Times after his team’s 2 nil loss to Mighty Tigers last week that the team would go back to the drawing board to prepare for the game against Karonga United.

Chirwa said the financial woes and misunderstandings between Mzuni FC and Mzuzu University top management cannot be a scapegoat for the team’s loss but as a team they would do everything possible to rectify problems encountered during the Tigers game to prepare thoroughly for the Aitel Top 8 Cup semi final match against Karonga United on Saturday.

“I don’t think the financial woes should be a scapegoat. What we need is to sit down with the players and prepare well for the semi final game. Anything can happen in a cup game but we will train hard and prepare the players for the game against Karonga United,” explained Chirwa.

There has been a cold war between Mzuzu University management and Mzuni FC since last year with management saying the club should only comprise students and pull out from the TNM Super League arguing it is milking the institution’s purse.

Mzuzu University management went on to ask the club to stop using the name “MZUNI” arguing the institution does not own a team in the Super League but club officials stood firm on the  use of the name as they had already registered the club with the Super League of Malawi (SULOM).

The club recently went to Mzuzu High Court to demand dues for the players and the court ordered Mzuzu University to pay the club 32 million Kwacha.

As if reacting to the club’s move to court, Acting University Registrar, James Kwilimbe, wrote the club on 11th June, 2019, indicating that it is using university facilities including sports grounds without seeking authority. Kwilimbe pointed out in the letter that the university’s support to the football club was discontinued by the University Council in November 2018.

And dramatically, on Wednesday, 12th June 2019, sheriffs from Mzuzu High Court stormed Mzuzu University campus  and confiscated three vehicles for management’s failure to pay 32 million Kwacha demanded by Mzuni FC players.

A white lorry, a 16-seater Hiace and a Land cruiser were seized by the sheriffs.

Mzuzu University acting registrar James Kwilimbe in a memo he signed  said Mzuni FC must  pay “advance charge of K25 000 per training session” to use university facilities including sports ground.

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