Trouble brews in bullets, Kondi threatens to quit

Big Bullets chairperson Kondi Msungama has accused the club’s main supporters committee leader Isaac Jomo Osman of causing confusion in the team.

Among other things, the Bullets boss said Osman has been leading his fellow committee members to grab part of the team’s gate revenue from a number of matches including last Sunday’s Super League encounter against Red Lions at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

Push came to a shove after the Bullets supporters committee got K172 000 ($452) from the team’s K433 859 (about $1 141) share from the Lions’ game.

“I did not come to Bullets to please supporters committee, my priority is the welfare of the players.

“Why, therefore, should supporters get away with almost half of the proceeds? For God’s sake this team has no sponsor and where are we going to get the money to pay the players? ready to take a bow,” said a visibly annoyed Msungama on Monday.

He said the supporters committee’s claim that the money is used to pay individuals who man the gates, does not hold water because it is difficult to prove their existence.

“We are not supposed to pay money to ghosts; there is no proper identification process. I suggested that only supporters with Bullets identity cards should have such responsibility, but it was turned down and all this because of Jomo,” he said.

“Moreover, the money demanded is just too much for a team which heavily relies on gate collections for its survival. Now, the way forward must be to implement the registration of those manning the gates or else I will step down. My common understanding is that supporters are not supposed to gain from the team but to contribute to its well-being.”

Msungama said his loyalty is to real supporters who pay at the gates and cheer the team and members who take part in fund-raising activities such as TNM Sapota Mapeto as well as registered members.

“There is nothing personal on this issue, but if some people want to test my strength then this is the right time and I am ready because I am aware that Jomo and others are being used by some fellow executive members to destabilise the team,” said Msungama.

However, Osman who is serving a one-year Sulom ban, dismissed Msungama’s claims that he grabs the proceeds from the gates, saying the money he obtains is used for a justifiable cause.

“I did not just wake up to bring this arrangement. This was agreed at our stakeholders meeting where the executive members were involved and endorsed that people manning the gates should be getting an allowance of not more than K5 000 each. For instance, in the game against Red Lions, we paid them K4 000 each.

“I know why the chairperson is saying all that. It is because behind the scenes, there is a plot to oust him within the executive and he thinks I am the one being used. In fact, I have no problem with the chairman (Msungama) but the GS Harold Fote because he is the one who feeds him with all these cheap lies,” said Osman.

Asked why he still dictates on gate collections when he is supposed to be serving a ban, Osman said: “I do not attend the actual games, even the match being referred to, I was not there. However, I indeed supervise other transactions because I only serve Sulom ban and not the club.”

Fote dismissed Osman’s claims saying he is just trying to find a scapegoat.

Bullets captain Henry Kabichi backed Msungama’s allegations.