Big Bullets executive committee split

Big Bullets chairperson Kondi Msungama yesterday admitted that there are serious cracks within the team’s leadership which has now split the executive committee into two camps.

Msungama described the internal wrangles as total madness that threatens the team’s future.

He said this in the wake of a decision made by a splinter group led by first vice-chairperson Sadik Malinga to fire general secretary Harold Fote during a meeting held at Nali Lodge in Mpingwe, Limbe on Saturday.

Ironically, the exco members that attended Saturday’s meeting shunned yesterday’s press briefing.

According to supporters committee secretary MabvutoChibambo, the splinter group resolved to fire Fote for giving an incorrect gross of K18.5 million as the revenue that was made from gate takings in the CAF Champions League preliminary round, second leg against Fomboni FC from the Comoros instead of K26.8 million (US$59556) and undermining the trustees.

“This is all total madness, complete circus, we are operating without direction because we are busy trying to pull each other down, instead of concentrating on our serious core duties to run the operations of the team and I fear for the future of the team,” said Msungama during a press briefing held at the club’s secretariat in Blantyre.

Asked if under such circumstances, he is still in control of the team’s affairs, Msungama said: “I am not going to give up, I have not lost the plot and I am still in control of the ship and I will now engage an extra gear to restore order in the team.

“Everyone, from the trustees to the executive right down to the supporters committee are doing their own thing instead of holding hands to effectively run this team, but we are busy with mudslinging and witch-hunting, but I am not going to resign. When I took over this team, I promised to win the championship, a cup and ensure that the team joined the CAF Champions League and it happened and I will carry on. I am not going to resign, God fights my battles.”

Reacting to the decision by the splinter group to fire the GS who is viewed as his confidant, Msungama said: “According to the constitution, there are procedures that need to be followed before one can be expelled from the team. The GS was elected at a general assembly and if there are issues, proper channels need to be followed.”

Quoting Article 15 of the club’s constitution, Msungama said it is only a disciplinary committee appointed by the board that can conduct an inquiry on a specific case where misconduct has taken place.

“That committee shall submit a report of its findings to the executive board and make recommendations thereof, that is what  is supposed to happen and, therefore, one cannot just wake up and fire an executive board member. That decision is therefore null and void,” said Msungama.

When he was contacted for comment, Malinga said he would get back to this reporter later on as he was not feeling well.

But Chibambo confirmed that the meeting indeed took place.

“It was a meeting involving members that are sidelined by the section of the executive committee and that was indeed the resolution that was made, but the details will be released tomorrow [today] as the issue has been referred to the trustees,” said Chibambo.

Asked if Msungama, Fote and other executive members that did not attend the meeting were invited to the meeting, Chibambo said: “I am not sure because I was not the one who convened the meeting, but my assumption was that this meeting was for those osalidwa [that are sidelined].”

On his part Fote also dismissed his firing saying those that made the decision have no such mandate.

“And the reasons given are not justifiable because all I said was that the money that reached us was K18.5 million,” he said.

Trustees chairperson James Busile confirmed having been informed about the meeting by Malinga on Saturday evening.

“He indeed informed me that they had resolved to fire Fote, but they are yet to furnish us with the details.

“However, as chairperson of the trustees, I am very disturbed by what is happening in the executive committee and that is why I nearly quit a few days ago and we need to do something about it,” said Busile.

The exco members that attended Msungama’s press briefing were Fote, Trust Nkhoma, Innocent Chidzulo and Dan Mbebuwa while those that attended the meeting called by Malinga were vice-treasurer Alex Gondwe,  aPidini. Reinstated main supporters committee chairperson Isaac Jomo Osman, Stone Mwamadi, Chibambo and technical director Billy Tewesa .