FAM considers owning two buses

Despite receiving a donation of a bus from the South Africa Football Association (Safa), Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is still considering buying another bus for the Flames.

However, there are big questions as to how the usually broke association will manage to keep two buses in shape as spare parts and maintenance consumes a lot of money.

FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda insisted yesterday that his association had the financial capacity to keep such buses on the road, saying the other would make life easier when hosting visiting teams.

“That was a decision made by our executive on January 31, but it might change at our 9th May executive committee meeting. It would be good for Malawi to have two buses. We have the financial muscle. Yes, there will be issues of maintaining the buses, but certainly it all goes with planning and good budgeting,” Nyirenda insisted.

He said they are already looking for tenders for the supply of the second bus while waiting for the executive committee’s final say.

At its previous meeting, FAM decided to use some K75 million (US$174 419) from the Fifa bonus for buying the bus. The association also owns Surestream Stadium which it leased to Surestream Academy after failing to maintain the facility which was reduced to ruins.

Safa donated the bus to many associations including FAM as part of sharing from the legacy of the Rainbow Nation hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Recently, Malawi National Council of Sports struggled to put back on the road a bus after it broke down and needed over K10 million for repairs.

Commenting on the plans to buy the second bus, former FAM official George Kaudza Masina yesterday said it was a relief that the Flames would be travelling comfortably.

“It does not make sense to have two buses. Knowing FAM, which is always in financial problems, it is better for them to have only one bus. Unless its marketing department has some ideas on how to use it for commercial purposes, it will be a burden to the already cash-strapped association,” Masina said.