Renowned football commentator Steve Liwewe Banda says it is not government’s obligation to pay for Be Forward Wanderers’ K79 million debts incurred by the club during their 2017 CAF Champions League participation.
The Nomads, through their General Secretary Victor Maunde, told the State broadcaster that they would seize the opportunity of meeting President Peter Mutharika to ask his government to clear the debts which are still hunting the club years after the club participated in the continental competition.
But reacting to Maunde’s decision on mid-week sports on MBC on Wednesday, Liwewe Banda said government has just too much on the table to look for and it will be unfair for Wanderers to be asking for another favor in the name of clearing their debts.
“The club should just stop asking too much from the government and find a way of dealing with the problem at hand. If the government decides to help then it will just be out of sympathy but it has no obligation to pay these debts on behalf of the club.
“We have lots of clubs in Malawi with debts, what will happen if they also come forward to seek government’s help? Government has other responsibilities to look at,” he explained.
The Lali Lubani side, which has a new executive committee, participated in the Champions League without the blessing of their Japanese sponsors Be Forward.
For the past two years, the club has been struggling to clear off the debts, a situation that has forced the management to seek help from the Malawi leader.
Mutharika is on Saturday expected to unveil the plaques for the two stadia which he promised.
