Bangwe All Stars, who were relegated from the TNM Super League at the end of last season, have closed shop due to financial constraints, it has emerged.
The Bangwe Township-based club’s owner Mphatso Jika said in an interview yesterday that “it has become increasingly difficult” to sustain the club under the current economic corporate hardships, especially without a sponsor.
The development means over 20 players that were on the club’s payroll are now jobless.
Said Jika: “I had big dreams for this team, but the harsh reality is that I can no longer afford under the prevailing circumstances.
“The monthly wage bill was K7.6 million and when you factor in other costs such as game bonuses, travel and camping expenses, I used to spend up to K15 million a month.”
He said the team had over 31 players with 25 of them on payroll getting between K150 000 and K400 000 a month as well as K30 000 game bonus each for a win.
Jika said the team’s away trips to the North used to cost him between K3 million and K4 million while an outing to the Central Region would cost about K2 million.
The Bangwe All Stars patron said push came to shove in October last year when players held a vigil at his offices, demanding their monthly salaries for September.
He said: “That was the only time I failed to pay them in time and while they were exercising their right, I thought the players went a bit too far, considering the sacrifice I was making to keep the team afloat.
“Ndiye iyayi, sindingakwanitse, ndazunzika nawo. Ndinafika pa ukapolo [I can no longer manage, I have suffered. The situation was a huge burden to me]. Sometimes, it’s good to accept the reality and move on.”
Jika also claimed to have spent a fortune on buying players in a bid to survive relegation, “unfortunately, it didn’t work”.
Reacting to the development, one of the club’s senior players Precious Mlotiwa said: “This is shocking news to me as a player because I rely on football for a living and it has come at an awkward moment when it is difficult to find a new club.
“All the same, God allows certain things to happen for a reason and I hope all will be well with us the players.”
On what will happen to the club’s slot in the newly-launched second-tier NBS Bank National Division League, Football Association of Malawi competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said: “We are yet to get communication from them. So, we will take it up from there.”
Bangwe All Stars spent two seasons in the top-flight and last season, they beat giants FCB Nyasa Bullets 1-0 in the league and Mighty Wanderers in the Airtel Top 8 quarter-final second leg by the same margin, although they were booted out on post-match penalties, having tied one-all on aggregate.
Last season, they finished 15th in the 16-team league and were relegated alongside table-anchors Baka City and Fomo, who finished 14th.
