Wanderers donate K200 000 towards BB trip

At long last. The state of suspense that surrounded Big Bullets FC trip to Sudan for their CAF Champions League first-round, first-leg tie against Al Hilal was cleared yesterday when they negotiated and sourced air tickets for a squad of 25.
The People’s Team will face Al Hilal on Sunday in Omdurman.
And in a rather unusual development, Bullets’ age-old rivals Be Forward Wanderers yesterday donated K200 000 (US$444) towards the cause.
Bullets chairperson Kondi Msungama yesterday confirmed sourcing half the amount [K6 million] needed for the air tickets to Sudan while the rest have been obtained on credit from a travel agency.
“I can now confirm that we have almost finalised travel arrangements. We have secured a debt amounting to K6 million that has enabled us to pay for half of the return air tickets on the understanding that we will meet the balance from the proceeds of the return leg,” said Msungama, adding : “Hopefully I will not be branded a thief again after the return match because I am making it clear here that part of the proceeds from the match will go towards settling the balance.”
A manager for the travel agency who asked for anonymity confirmed the development in a separate interview.
“All that is left now is to find out which airline has space for the entire squad [of 25] between Kenyan and Ethiopian Airlines,” he said.
He also said the team is most likely to depart tomorrow.
Msungama said initially, they had planned for a squad of 30, but it had to be trimmed due to tight budgetary constraints.
He also said they are hoping to raise money for food and accommodation from well-wishers and proceeds from billboard advertising and broadcasting rights from the Fomboni match.
The Bullets boss played down the K10 million debt the team has from the costs of hosting the Fomboni match.
“I should admit that our strategy for the Fomboni match was faulty, we didn’t plan properly, but we learnt our lessons and it will be different in the match against Al Hilal.
“We will come up with a better strategy that could enable us to raise enough to pay the debts that we have and also meet costs of hosting the match. There are other initiatives that we are planning,” said Msungama.
Among other outstanding debts, the People’s Team has not yet paid K2.1 million travel costs for the five match officials who travelled from Mozambique and Zambia, the two teams’ camping at Dorvic Hotel and Gold Card Executive Lodge amounting to over K2 million as well as players’ outstanding dues.
He also clarified that the team’s supporters committee member Chabvi Mbewe does not owe the team a penny as he remitted all the money for the tickets he sold for the Fomboni match.
Msungama also thanked Wanderers for their gesture.
“It sounds strange, but the rivalry is on the domestic scene. Wanderers are our brothers and we are grateful for their gesture. It might be looked at as something on the lower side, but to us it will help a lot and we hope others will emulate this gesture,” said Msungama during the presentation ceremony that took place at Wanderers Club.
The Nomads’ general secretary Mike Butao said: “This gesture is a confirmation that despite our domestic rivalry, we wish them well, it is the least we could have done, but we hope it will make a difference.
“The donation is from our SMS promotion, we know it is too little, but it’s more of a way of wishing them well and that through this gesture, others will also come forward.”