Trouble at Bullets! Sponsorship hangs by thread

…could Bullets be back to poverty?

Nyasa Big Bullets could be heading back to old financial problems as the Super League giants have received a warning from their sponsors Nyasa Manufacturing Company (NMC) following infightings which have resurfaced at the club.

According to a letter written by Nyasa Manufacturing Company Chairman Konrad Buckle and addressed to Bullets board members, the cigarette manufacturer has warned that it will stop sponsoring the people’s team if infighting and lack of discipline among the executive committee members does not end.

NMC last year agreed to sponsor Bullets to the tune of K100 million a year but the company has now told the club officials that infighting among members of the executive committee will lead to termination of the sponsorship.

“We have been following events surrounding the club in the media newsprint and the social media. As the chairman of Nyasa, I am very concerned with the bad publicity the team is getting, which is directly affecting us as a partner.

“We therefore would like to warn your Board and Executive Committee that you risk the embarrassment of losing another sponsorship if this does not stop and the current leadership and contractual obligations are not supported,” reads part of the letter.

Buckle also claimed that the infighting which involves the current club chairman Sammy Chilunga, Sadik Malinga, Alex Kondwe, TithaMandiza and Noel Lipipa is affecting the company’s sales and giving a bad name to the Nyasa brand.

“As you know, this is a partnership of which we are contributing vast sums of money and resources and we are failing to see the benefit with this turmoil.

“There is now a cloud of doubt regarding this investment. – our sales have declined in the past weeks due to the ongoing negative publicity

“Regrettably, it seems nothing has changed regarding the management and welfare of the people’s team and the blatant misuse of club earnings and funds,” said Buckle.

Buckle added that currently the club has no funds to pay wages yet a few days ago Bullets generated revenue from an international game which was a pride to the nation and the club.

The Nyasa chairman further said that the contract the two sides signed clearly states that bad publicity and infighting are marked as a breach of contract which has serious consequences.

The company has since urged the club to honour contractual obligations by hiring a permanent chief executive officer and an accountant to manage the affairs of the team in a clear and transparent way so that the club should be run as a business not as volunteer.

Meanwhile, Buckle has called for an emergency meeting on Monday 14th March 2016 at the Nyasa Offices Board Room at 4.30 pm to discuss the future of the club and has called the Big Bullets Chairman of the Trustees, the General Secretary of the Trustees, the Executive Committee, the Supporters Executive Committee and the three captains of the team to the meeting.