National Sports

Chakwera injects K1m into Wanderers drive

President Lazarus Chakwera has injected K1 million into Be Forward Wanderers’ ambitious fundraising drive aimed at raising K100 million a month for the club’s operations.

Minister of Youth and Sports Ulemu Msungama, who made a personal contribution of K500 000, said during the launch of the Wanderers Yanga! Wanderers Yathu! initiative in Blantyre yesterday that the President made the contribution after being impressed by the club’s bold step towards achieving financial independence.

Msungama (2ndR), Gaffar (R) and Wanderers officials captured during the parade

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and Super League of Malawi (Sulom) have also contributed K200 000 and K100 000, respectively.

The initiative encourages each supporter to contribute a minimum of K100 every month through TNM Mpamba and Airtel Money platforms.

“The President is happy that football clubs have realised that relying heavily on sponsors is not good for their survival and that commercialisation is the way to go,” Msungama said.

The minister also urged the club’s management to ensure financial discipline to gain the trust of the supporters and the public.

While appreciating the President’s support, Wanderers’ chairperson Symon Sikwese said they no longer want to rely heavily on sponsors.

He said that they will no longer allow administrators and supporters to come to the club to make money, but to help the Nomads.

Said Sikwese: “If we find such people, they will be arrested. People should come to the club to contribute to its financial independence.”

FAM executive committee member Felistus Dossi, who represented FAM president Walter Nyamilandu and Sulom president Tiya Somba-Banda, said they welcomed the initiative and urged other clubs to follow suit.

Nomads’ board of trustees chairperson Rashid Gaffar, who is also Minister of Mining, also applauded the club for the initiative.

The launch started with a parade from Ginnery Corner Roundabout along Masauko Chipembere Highway to Wanderers Clubhouse near Kamuzu Stadium.

The initiative comes after Be Forward Limited announced the withdrawal of sponsorship in August. The Japanese used car dealers started sponsoring the club in 2015 to the tune of $200 000 (about K150 million) per year.

They recently cut the sponsorship by 50 percent, citing to Covid-19 effects and the club relied much on contributions from loyal supporters to survive.

They are officially set to part ways at the end of next month.

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