Deputy Mayor pledges support for ZA Fifa/FAM U-16 team
Zomba City deputy Mayor Davie Maunde has pledged to support Zomba Urban Fifa/FAM Under-16 team in its title defence bid in the Eastern Region League.
Maunde said this on Saturday when he hosted the team to a Christmas luncheon at Masuku Lodge in the city. He pledged to support the team by securing football boots and uniforms by end of February next year.
The gesture has come at a time the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) made the appeal to communities to own the Fifa/FAM Under-16 teams in their respective areas for sustainability.
“Let me congratulate you for becoming 2015/2016 Eastern Region champions. Due to my tight schedule, I could not host you at that time. But bear in mind that I am going to work with you in various projects to develop sports as well as managing our environment,” the deputy Mayor said.
He added that on December 31, he will engage the youngsters in planting trees and thereafter play against a social football team at Zomba Community Centre ground from 10am. Maunde said the players need to understand ways of managing their environment at a younger age.
The team’s captain Adam Mgunda vowed that they will defend the title owing to the motivation factor.
In his remarks, the team’s head coach Tione Mhone, who is also assistant national team U-17 coach, expressed gratitude to the deputy mayor for pledging his allegiance to the team.
“This Under-16 project is not for Fifa and FAM alone, but needs the support of companies, business people and other well-wishers. It is through such approaches that we can help to develop football from the grass roots,” he said. n
