Chikwawa Utd plead for prize money

Newly promoted Super League side Chikwawa United have pleaded with sponsor of the Southern Region Football League (SRFL) Peter Mutharika to release their prize money for emerging champions of the 2013/14 Premier Division.

The club’s director, Owen Chomanika, said they want to use the K1 million prize as a starter-pack for their engagements in the Super League which begins on Saturday.

“We thought we would receive the money before the kick-off of the Super League so that it could help us in other needs,” said Chomanika.

“For instance, we are starting the league away in Dwangwa and that money could have helped us meet some costs. We are, therefore, appealing to the sponsor to consider our plight,” he said.

Division One champions Surestream Academy’s technical director Peter Mponda also said they are eagerly waiting for their prize money.

While Mutharika’s aide and sponsorship coordinator Ben Phiri claimed they were waiting for official communication about the conclusion of the league, SRFL general secretary George Pagaja on Wednesday said they already communicated to Phiri in that regard.

“We already did all that and we highlighted the issue of the Premier Division champions because we knew they would need part of it for the Super League,” said Pagaja.

The Central Region Football League (CRFL) held theirs last Sunday when Chipiku gave out prizes to the winners. In the Northern Region Football League (NRFL), sponsor Simama General Dealers is waiting for the league to announce the champions following the recent championship dispute between Karonga United and Mzuzu University.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said the SRFL prize presentation delay as well as the NRFL dispute has affected its plan to roll out the harmonised calendar.