Nyasa warn bullets

Nyasa Manufacturing Company (NMC), sponsors of Nyasa Big Bullets, have expressed concern with the team’s overdrawing of funds for its operations.

This is the first time NMC has come out in the open to express its displeasure on financial issues.

It comes in the wake of the club’s move to request for more funding on top of its K6 million (about $9 000) monthly allocation.

“This is the third time  the club has come for assistance [outside normal monthly allocation] as regards salaries.

“As sponsors, we are not happy with the current situation. We are definitely not amused as this is affecting the welfare of the players and, of course, our own partnership despite the players putting up a good show,” said NMC managing director Dimitri Kalaitzis yesterday.

He added: “At this juncture, we thought the trustees could come to us to discuss this urgent matter which is of great concern to us.”

However, Kalaitzis said they would immediately call for a board meeting to work on a bailout strategy “with the players and supporters in our mind.”

While admitting that the club had on a few occasions asked for top-up outside normal monthly allocation, Bullets acting general secretary Kelvin Moyo said it was “due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control”.

“I think we overlooked some critical aspects when we came up with the monthly allocation proposal such as players’ signing on and transfer fees and travel costs to distant places and, to be honest, considering the current situation, we will still be asking for more.

“Nevertheless, it is an issue that we will discuss with the sponsors.”

However, Moyo could not be drawn to disclose how much the club has asked from the sponsor, but according to The Nation findings, the figure is in the range of K7.5 million (about $11 000).

The club’s trustees chairperson James Busile on Tuesday said the issue has not yet come to his attention.

“I first need to be briefed by the executive committee before I can comment,” he said.

The club’s main supporters committee chairperson Stone Mwamadi said the development, justifies the supporters’ call that NMS should take over ownership of the club.

“When we raised the issue about ownership, some people opposed the idea, but this is exactly what we foresaw that without proper ownership, the issue of funds will remain a big problem,” he said.

Team captain Chiukepo Msowoya also said they are worried that sometimes they get their salaries late when the team has “such massive sponsorship.”

Bullets signed a K500 million (about $728 000) strategic partnership deal with the cigarette manufacturing company at the start of this year for a five-year period. n