JB launches JBFI tourney

President Joyce Banda on Saturday launched the long-awaited K100 million Joyce Banda Foundation International Inter-constituency Football and Netball trophies.

Speaking when she launched the competition at Mzuzu Stadium, Banda, who is behind the initiative, said the trophies will help keep the youth in the country busy and also prevent them from indulging in immoral behaviours.

She said the trophies will provide a platform for the youth to showcase talent which in future may give them job opportunities to save their families from poverty and also boost the country’s social-economic development status.

“During the former president, late [Bingu] wa Mutharika’s Presidential cups, my schools were prevented from taking part in the games for various political reasons; something I do not want to witness again,” said the President.

She said she launched the trophies on July 20 to honour youths who died on this day during Mutharika’s bad governance protests in 2011.

She said lack of jobs and school fees has impacted negatively on the country’s youths, leading some into risky behaviours.

The President warned committees entrusted to run the trophies to avoid bringing politics into the competition, saying she did not want a repeat of what she witnessed under the leadership of her predecessor.

Banda announced that her Joyce Banda Foundation International will construct a new stadium in the Northern Region. She said the existing Mzuzu Stadium is too old to be used as the walls are weak and might collapse any time.

Chairperson of the competition’s main organising committee Yusuf Matumula thanked the President for sharing her resources with the youth through the trophies, saying it portrays her quality leadership that believes in sharing.

Spicing the launch, Big Bullets played out 0-0 against Moyale Barracks as Chindi Netball Club stumbled 1-7 against Mimosa Queens. Civonets beat Lameck Queens 8-3 while Uliwa United and Nkhata Bay North Select settled for a goalless draw.