TNM is back!
In a typical fashion of “better the devil you know than the angel you don’t,” TNM yesterday renewed its romance with the flagship Super League it parted ways with on March 21.
TNM lived up to its brand promise of ‘Always with you’ when it made a U-turn following extensive negotiations between Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Henry ‘Mtengo wa Minga’ Mussa and TNM chief executive officer Douglas Stevenson. The mobile network and intergrated information and communication technology services provider has extended the sponsorship agreement to 2020.
“I am very happy that the discussions have borne fruits and I thank TNM through Mr. Stevenson for their understanding. They have shown that they are indeed our true corporate partner,” said an elated Mussa in an interview last evening.
Part of the press release issued by the ministry and TNM yesterday, reads: “We are also grateful to [Competitions and Fair Trade Commission] CFTC board and their parent, Ministry of Industry and Trade for their subsequent and clearer interpretation of their earlier decision that the current contract agreement be maintained until the year 2020.
“ [This is] enough transitional period to allow the Malawi National Council of Sports [MNCS] and other stakeholders time to come up with a comprehensive roadmap and rules and regulations to govern the future contracts agreements reasonable to all competing sports.”
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) general secretary (GS) Williams Banda sounded equally relieved after getting wind of the news.
“They have issued a statement?…Well, this is good news to us, the clubs and indeed the fans. It can’t get any sweeter.
“We would like to thank TNM for understanding the plight of Malawi football. Further to that, we would also like to thank the Ministry for its intervention, in particular Hon. Mussa for all his efforts.”
Banda also said they will sit down with TNM to see how best they can address their concerns in consultation with the clubs.
Commenting on the kick off date, the Sulom GS said: “We will meet the sponsor to agree on when we can roll out considering that there are issues such as procurement to be considered as well.”
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu described the development as awesome.
“This is fantastic. It is a huge relief. They have shown to be a true corporate citizen and a champion of Malawi football.
“They have bailed us out of misery and shame and we welcome them back with open arms. It’s celebration time for the entire football fraternity. We also recognise the minister’s efforts,” he said.
Nyasa Big Bullets chairperson Noel Lipipa and Be Forward Wanderers midfielder Joseph Kamwendo also hailed TNM for the U-turn.
Said Lipipa: “Coming at a time when we were not certain about the sponsorship, it comes as a huge relief. But having said that, hopefully this will give both parties [TNM and Sulom] some food for thought on how they are supposed to operate, they need to draw lessons from all this.”
On his part, Kamwendo said: “A league without a sponsor takes away the element of competition and enthusiasm. The commitment and competition are not the same and we have to thank all those who were involved in the process.”
TNM, who sponsor the domestic top-flight league to the tune of K90 million, announced the sponsorship withdrawal on March 21 following CFTC’s ruling that its contract agreement with Sulom has unfair trade practice clauses.
“Following the meeting on Monday, [March 20th], where Sulom and FAM were to get clarity on the ruling by CFTC on the future of the contract with TNM, CFTC has broadly maintained its ruling and, therefore, TNM has made a decision to fully withdraw from the sponsorship,” read part of TNM’s withdrawal statement.
The development affected the kick off of the league which initially, was supposed to roll out on April 8.
