Mary Waya gets raw deal
- She’s not on salary,
- Gets K1 500 training allowance only when in camp
As a player, she steered the Queens to Africa netball summit. Now she coaches the team and expectations are high— yet Mary Waya struggles on K1 500 daily training allowance with no salary.
Weekend Nation has sourced from Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) circles Waya’s contract copy. And it reveals how the country is notorious for abusing its netball legends. Waya is a netball celebrity the BBC and Sky Sport for years sought for interviews.
In contrast, all Flames full-time coaches receive in excess of K1 million monthly salary from government coffers. For Waya, the responsibility for paying her rests in the ever-broke NAM.
If Waya received the K1 500 every day, maybe the story could have been different. But she only earns that amount when the Queens are in camp training. This year, the team has not gone into camp.
Those close to Waya, whose one-year contract expired on February 14 2015, speak of a story of daily struggles in a country where sports stars are honoured at death.
Usually, Queens’ camps two-week camp translates to K21 000 on average. Waya is also entitled to $75 (K32 250) daily foreign travel allowance. The Queens spend an average of a week in foreign land meaning she earns K220 500.
However, such trips are a rarity; last year the Queens travelled to England twice and New Zealand. This year, the Queens’ confirmed trips are to Namibia and New Zealand for the Africa Netball Championship and World Championship. Waya talks sparingly to local media and could not pick calls.
Additionally, the recently expired contract stipulates that NAM shall provide the coach “a bonus of K20 000 for any sanctioned and recognised international competitive game won by the team, a bonus of K10 000 for any sanctioned and recognised international competitive tied game”.
“NAM shall be responsible for all expenses associated with accommodation, food and transport during the national netball team’s competitions and training sessions (camps).”
The contract restricts the netball coach from undertaking activities “private or otherwise that could interfere with the job”. The Queens are considered the most successful Malawi sports team being ranked number one in Africa and fifth in the world.
NAM president Rosy Chinunda, asked about the renumeration of the Queens coaches, admitted that the perks were too little, adding that ‘it’s more or less voluntary.”
“You cannot even compare with what players get elsewhere. It’s just about working for passion in Malawi. Netball has not reached a business stage. That is why we are battling. We shall eventually get an answer [on commercialising netball],” Chinunda explained.
Internet information indicates that in England “typical salary range for senior coaches employed by national governing bodies (NGBs) or professional sports clubs is £30 000 [K18.4 million] to £35 000 [K21.4m] with experienced coaches working at the highest level can even shoot to £100000 [K61.4m] per month.”
