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There were wild celebrations in Le Meridien Mount Soche Hotel’s Njamba Room when Bakili Bullets were officially handed the K16.5 million Bakili Muluzi Super League (BMSL) glittering trophy and a K6 million cheque for emerging champions.
The party, which started right at the giant Kamuzu Stadium where they put their rivals MTL Wanderers in the shade with a late classic finish by Emmanuel Chipatala, spilled over to the venue of the prize presentation ceremony where the players, officials and fans were all thrown into frenzied celebration.
As the guest of honour Atupele Muluzi, who represented the league’s sponsor former president Bakili Muluzi, presented the trophy to captain Petros Mwalweni, there was a thunderous din of “Bullets!!!” in the packed hall.
A smiling Mwalweni, flanked by equally ecstatic colleagues said: “This is a special gift to our sponsor. I think we played our lungs out and no wonder there is an 18-point gap that separated us from our rivals MTL Wanderers who were the runners up.”
He added: “Let me take this opportunity to appeal to our sponsor to continue sponsoring us and we will certainly not disappoint him. Winning the championship with such a wide gap and then reaching the last eight of the Caf Champions League is something special...it’s really been a great season for us.”
However, the Bullets were taunted by some Wanderers fans who sarcastically shouted: “The owner of Kips Restaurant is waiting for his payment outside,” alluding to the K1.3 million debt the Bullets owe the restaurant.
The nomads carted home K3 million as runners-up while third-placed Silver Strikers went back to the capital with K1.5 million. Fourth-placed Blue Eagles got K500,000.
Relegation-bound Dwasco got K250,000 for fair play while Sammy’s United pocketed K100,000 for being the surprise team of the league.
However, Sammy’s director Sameer Suleman said being the surprise team, he felt his boys deserved to get something better than the fair play team.
Another relegation-bound side Illovo had a consolation in that their striker Rhodrick Douglas got K200,000 plus a miniature for being top scorer with 18 goals. Sammy’s midfielder Chikaiko Bridge was named player of the league and was awarded K100,000 and a miniature. Bullets’ goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi and Eagles’ striker Malumbo Mkandawire were named best goalkeeper and most improved players respectively and got K100,000 each.
The award of best referee went to little known but efficient Anthony Raphael who also got K100,000.
Sports Minister Henry Chimunthu Banda appealed to the organisers to consider rewarding coaches as well in future.
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