While many are longing to be in Brazil now, Mathews Mughogho of Blantyre has shunned a trip to the 2014 Fifa World Cup after emerging among lucky winners of Coca-Cola Fifa World Cup Getta Brazil promotion.
Mughogho wanted to travel with his friend Edward Lutepo, but opted against going after realising that Carlsberg Malawi Limited were, for the fully sponsored trip, offering $50 (K19 000) stipend which he felt was too low as the Brazil cost of living is high.
Each winner was to spend two nights in Brazil capital Rio de Janeiro.
“It would have been embarrassing to come back from Rio with no souvenirs. Only if they had told us the terms and conditions in good time, we could have mobilised own resources to have the thrill of spending time in Rio,” said Mughogho.
He wondered whether if a top executive had won, Carlsberg would have also given them $50. Mughogho, whose wish was to witness live the exit from the World Cup of Spain and England, called on regulatory authorities to audit such promotions.
“It is ridiculous that another firm with almost the same conditions for a similar trip gives a stipend of $1 600 (K680 000) for the same number of days,” complained Mughogho.
Carlsberg publicist Towela Munthali said even a high-profile winner would have been subjected to similar conditions.
“The $50 (K19 000) per day was arrived at as a daily allowance that Carlsberg Malawi chose to provide to all two nights in Rio winners travelling to Brazil, in addition to paying for all expenses during the trip as per the conditions of the promotion. While we were not obliged to give any allowance, we thought of giving a stipend to our consumers to spend as they pleased,” said Munthali.
The rest of the lucky winners Ivy Chirwa, who chose to have her son Stanley, accompany her, Derek Chilombo who travelled with Noel Lipipa and Chanco student Stanley Chirwa travelled. The cost of each trip to Brazil is $6 000 (K2.2 million). The winners are back.
