Sunbird’s silence on Kuchawe Road Race revealed
Malawi Sunbird Hotel has been silent on sponsoring one of the country’s lucrative Kuchawe Mountain road race for this year but sources within the hospitality organisation said Sunbird had lost trust in Athletics Association of Malawi due to negative publicity over corruption and financial abuse.
The source said in fact Sunbird was skeptical to renew sponsorship of the race in 2015 after more than 10 years over the same issue. They accepted after being pressured on conditions that the association should not handle cash.
Nyasa Times sources indicate that Sunbird management was suspicious of the manner former Director of Marketing Titania Katenga Kaunda, who was fired, defended the cause to revive sponsorship.
“It transpired that Titania Katenga Kaunda vehemently backed the decision because she was connected with one of the top officials in the AAM executive committee,”said the source. “It’s not surprising that after Katenga Kaunda left there’s uncertainty.”
The information corroborate with AAM President Godfrey Phiri who bragged about personally securing the sponsorship.
The failure of the race would hit hard the athletes who have been preparing for the mouthwatering prizes. The champions were getting K300,000, K200,000, for runnersup, K100,000 for third for both men’s and women’s events.
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