Welcoming FAM into bus business
As a surviving bona fide passenger of UTM, Kwendajenda and Jakumusi buses, I have first-hand experience of the thrills and ills of using domestic public transport.
The Malawi passenger is not a king but a slave to local buses which can break-down anywhere and anytime. You really have no option.
Which is why, it makes sense for the Football Association of Malawi (FAM)—with its proven competence in football development—to diversify into the transportation industry.
This is what we call strategic football development. Therefore, join me in welcoming FAM’s grand entry into bus business.
Credit to the South Africa Football Association (Safa) which set the ball rolling by donating a bus to FAM. Additionally, FAM intends to buy another.
One bus will be for the Flames’ use and the other will be plying the punishing Blantyre-Mzuzu and Lilogwe-Mzuzu routes and earn the association money.
After all, auditors have always declared faultless FAM’s coffers which one powerful officer, who also inspects pitches in foreign land, manages. There should be no suspicion on the additional bus tenders.
When the Flames are inactive, this means a ‘fleet’ of two buses cash-cowing for the Flames. No more rendering katapila surety services!
The buses would also enable FAM save on the transport costs of executive members who claim a fortune per kilometre driving to watch games for free at Kamuzu Stadium. Brilliant idea.
With this innovation, which is subject to executive committee’s final decision over a cup of coffee on May 9, FAM needs the support of every football-loving Malawian.
After all, this business idea will help the Flames to win the 2015 Cosafa Cup and qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
My contribution to FAM’s brilliant idea is that to cut costs, FAM must not advertise the post of driver. The Chiwembe officers can take a break from petty Facebook posts and take turns to drive the buses.
Taking such turns would enhance productivity of some officers whose positions, were overtaken by events long time ago.
In the unlikely event that all the Chiwembe officers are busy, then we have Fischer Kondowe to step in. He drove Big Bullets from Tanzania to Malawi. What with local routes? This is what we call driving Malawi football forward.
