Weightlifting equipment still stuck in Kenya
Weightlifting Association of Malawi (WAM) are yet to bring home four sets of gym equipment worth millions of kwacha, a year after World Weightlifting Federation (WWF) donated it to Malawi.
Kenya Weightlifting Federation is keeping the items since April last year.
Malawi National Sports Council (MNSC) executive secretary George Jana confirmed the development, saying they are working on logistics to bring the equipment home.
“There were delays because of lack of funds, but we have not given up. We are working on logistics to make sure the equipment is brought home. But, at the moment, the situation does not look good,” he said.
Jana could, however, not say when the equipment will arrive in Malawi.
WAM president Richard Kuwali said the delay has affected the Presidential Initiative for Sports (PIS) as his organisation has no equipment.
“We have delayed the kick-off of the tournament because we do not have good weightlifting equipment. We had a chat with Mr. Jana and we have faith that they will help us. As an association, we do not have the money to bring the donation to Malawi,” he said.
Kuwali has since appealed to the corporate world to help with the transportation of the items.
“Our fear is that the more we delay, the more expensive it will become to transport the equipment to Malawi. There might be a storage fee which we might be required to pay. I have been in touch with our counterparts in Kenya and they have assured me that the equipment is safe, but they urged us to act as quickly as possible,” he said.
