They may have made it into Presidential Cup final over the weekend, but Nyasa Big Bullets’ troubles are refusing to die.
The club’s players shunned training yesterday, demanding full payment of their signing-on fees. Bullets need K42 million for the entire squad’s signing-on fees.
The players gave the club’s executive committee a deadline of June 30 to settle the fees, and according to vice-captain, Bashir Maunde, payment was not made.
As if to add fuel to a raging inferno, the club’s supporters yesterday marched to the office of trustees’ chairperson, James Busile, where they presented a petition, demanding an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in 21 days.
The fans have tabled three items on the agenda for the meeting—discussing club ownership, financial management and filling vacancies in the main executive after several resignations months ago.
The petition has no date but was signed by supporters’ committee chairperson, Stone Mwamadi and General Secretary, Manzy Chikoti, leaving out gaps for chairpersons of the North, Centre and the national committee treasurer.
Mwamadi said the proposal for the indaba was made last month at a meeting involving representatives of the national supporters’ committee from across the country. He added that the petition to Busile was only a reminder.
The club’s acting-General Secretary, Kelvin Moyo, disclosed that payment for the players’ salaries was ready, but said the signing-on fees’ matter was tricky.
“We need about K42 million to pay the players’ signing-on fees, so we are trying to open channels of dialogue to sort out the matter,” Moyo noted.
Board of trustees’ General Secretary, Jim Kalua, confirmed that the petition was handed over to Busile and that the board will decide the way forward.
The TNM Super League defending champions have collected just a point from their last two league games.
Bullets sponsor, Nyasa Manufacturing Company, has repeatedly expressed concern that the players are complaining about their perks when the team enjoys K100 million annual sponsorship.
In Lilongwe, Silver Strikers’ players have also threatened to take unspecified action against their management also over unpaid signing-on fees.
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