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A 21-man Malawi national football squad, the Flames on Wednesday flew to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, without any Football Association of Malawi (Fam) and Sports Council official on board as is customary.
The Flames’ trip had been dodged by financial problems after Fam failed to secure funding from government, which only released Sports Council’s allocation for this month. To avert the impending crisis, Council footed the team’s air travel costs through a post-dated cheque paid to Soche Tours Travel agents.
The Council also accepted to loan Fam a sum of money for payment of players’ external allowances. Fam executive member McCollins Chibvunde is expected to travel with the allowances on Thursday.
But Chibvunde’s travel will be dependent on Fam managing to cash a post-dated cheque from Council. According to sources, there was a possibility that the cheque might not be honoured at the bank until Friday, when funds would finally be made available into the government parastatal’s account.
But Chibvunde hoped he would manage to collect the allowances. “I am not sure of the exact position regarding that issue but right now I am on my way to Blantyre to sort out the allowances’ issue. You can contact me in the afternoon,” said Chibvunde a few hours after the Flames’ departure.
Asked why there was no Council official aboard the plane, the Council’s board chairman Rashid Nembo said: “Partly it’s to do with the problem of finances but it’s not always that we send an official to accompany the team,” said Nembo.
Nembo said he was not sure of the cheque issue. “I am not sure of that. That’s an office issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, coach John Kaputa has said he is happy with the response from the players after the two-week camp training at Kamuzu Academy in Kasungu.
“Our preparations have been OK especially from last week, when we had little disturbances (after cancellation of Super League matches).
“The boys have shown the dedication, willpower, discipline and fighting spirit. They have been very cooperative with the technical panel and we are looking forward to the game,” said Kaputa, adding he would have loved to play a friendly international against any of the neighbouring countries before flying to Nairobi.
Captain Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi refused to talk to the reporter on their prospects, but defence linchpin Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda, who has at times served as stand-in captain, said the boys were hoping for better results against the Harambee Stars.
Mponda also said the boys were not affected by the issue of delayed allowances.
“That is not a problem to us. Malawi is our country and we understand the problems the country is facing. We are going to Kenya to represent the nation and not ourselves,” said Mponda.
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