BB Central Region officials want top brass out

A meeting of Big Bullets executive committee members based in Lilongwe on Tuesday agreed to ask the club’s top brass to step down to pave the way for investigations surrounding Gabadinho Mhango’s transfer to Bloemfontein Celtic.

But Bullets chairperson Malinda Chinyama on Wednesday said their Central Region colleagues do not understand the issue, therefore, have no basis for their demand.

Lilongwe-based Bullets vice-chairperson Austin Kasito said during the meeting, which was attended by four executive members at Sunbird Lilongwe, it was suggested that the chairperson [Chinyama] and GS [Higger Mkandawire] should step down.

“Considering the active role that the chairperson and the GS played in the player’s transfer deal, it was suggested that we should ask them to resign,” said Kasito.

“If anything, the supporters in Lilongwe are prepared to contribute towards the cost of an inquiry, including interviewing people in South Africa,” said Kasito.

He said concern was also raised about how the club’s finances have been handled and a suggestion to probe the same was made.

“Every time they tell us about getting overdrafts from banks and we are wondering as to what happened to the sponsorship money, gate-takings and the money supporters won for the club through Carlsberg promotions,” said Kasito.

He also claimed that there is a group of fans from Blantyre who are enticing them to support the top brass.

“It would appear there are divisions within the executive committee in Blantyre where two camps have emerged. One camp wants the issue to be pursued while the other wants it swept under the carpet,” he said.

But Chinyama insisted that their Central Region colleagues have no basis to demand their resignation, claiming they are just scratching the surface and are ignorant of what transpired for the deal to materialise.

“They should not just be talking without knowing what exactly happened,” said Chinyama.

He blamed some sections, in particular the media and some of the team’s followers, for being overzealous.

“To begin with, the way you media guys have handled Gaba’s issue is strange. You have sensationalised it to suit your interests when it took a lot of effort from us behind the scenes for the deal to succeed,” said Chinyama.

He claimed that they, initially, came up with an K8 million (about $20 000) transfer fee but Celtic were not prepared to pay.

“It was then that Prosport suggested that we terminate the player’s contract so that he could be signed as a free agent while negotiations went on,” he said.

“In fact, it was the agency [Prosport] that offered us the K3 million [about $7 500].”

However, Kasito countered: “If there are those issues, then they will raise them at an appropriate time, but they should pave the way for investigations.”