Nomads lodge complaint against KA United
As desperation takes its toll on Mighty Wanderers FC’s survival quest, the Nomads have lodged a complaint to Sulom against Karonga United for allegedly featuring an ineligible player.
The Nomads allege that Karonga featured Bruno Kamanga illegally in their league contest at Mzuzu Stadium last Sunday in which Wanderers lost 2-1. The Nomads, therefore, want Karonga’s points earned in that game, forfeited.
“We have documented evidence that Kamanga is registered with Saint Kaduya who play in the Chipiku CRFL [Central Region Football League]. From records available, he got a yellow card on 17 July playing for St. Kaduya against Nsundwe.
“Apparently, Karonga connived with Nkhata Bay Police to issue a clearance for the police despite the card clearly showing that Kamanga’s previous team was St. Kaduya and current team is [still] St. Kaduya.
“Kamanga asked for time off to travel to the North to attend to personal issues. Next thing, he was registered and started playing for Karonga. One wonders how many more players Karonga United are using illegally. This player featured against Wanderers and has featured as a sweeper in a few other games in the second-round,” claimed Nomads general secretary Mike Butao.
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) vice-general secretary captain Thokozani Chazema confirmed having received the Nomads complaint and that the issue is under investigation.
“We have just received the complaint. We will enquire the validity of the claim,” said Chazema.
However, Karonga’s GS Gospel Selemani laughed off Wanderers claims.
“Their claims have no basis, but one would understand considering the desperate situation in which Wanderers find themselves in. Just like us, they are not safe from relegation and they will try every trick to be in the comfort zone.
“Coming to your question, we got Kamanga from Nkhata Bay Police and not Nsundwe United. He was duly cleared by Sulom management and that is why his card was processed and signed by Sulom president [Innocent Bottoman] and GS Williams Banda. There is no way a player can be registered by Sulom without being properly cleared unless you are telling me that Sulom is incompetent,” said Selemani.
But CRFL general secretary Bernard Chiwiruwiru-Harawa said while records show that the player is indeed registered with St. Kaduya, it is possible that he might have been cleared without the league’s consent.
“Our system is so faulty that teams can clear a player without involving us as a league. We only come to know when there is a problem.
“We do not have a systematic monitoring mechanism in place. There are a lot of shortcuts that are used by teams and I should admit we have a long way to go to effect proper transfer mechanisms,” said Harawa.
Efforts to get comments from St. Kaduya and Kamanga proved futile.
