BB take over talk resurfaces

Nyasa Big Bullets have revived a campaign to cox their new sponsors, Nyasa Manufacturing Company ((NMC), take over ownership of the club.

The club’s players and supporters committee on Tuesday took turns to ask their sponsor to consider taking over the team’s ownership during a luncheon the sponsor hosted at @mosphere in Blantyre to honour the players for winning the Chifundo Charity Shield.

Supporters committee chairperson Stone Mwamadi set the ball rolling when he said: “While we appreciate all what you are doing for the team, we would like to ask you to consider taking over ownership because some of the internal problems come because the team has no ownership.”

Taking his turn, supporters’ committee general secretary Manze Chikoti also supported the move, saying: “It will be good if you seriously consider the request made by my chairman [Mwamadi]. It is time the team had ownership.”

And speaking on behalf of his colleagues, team captain Chiukepo Msowoya said they were in full support of the move.

“That is also the position of us players, not so guys?” Chiukepo asked his fellow players to which they responded with an emphatic: “Yes.”

Bullets acting general secretary Kelvin Moyo said the players and supporters committee were only expressing their views as key stakeholders of the club.

But NMC managing director Dimitri Kalaitzis exercised caution in his reaction, describing the request as a privilege.

“It [the request] is still in its infancy. It is a process that could take time as it involves trustees, fans and the club as a whole. It is something that can be looked at. We are not ruling it out though,” he said.

Bullets is registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act with James Busile as the chairperson of board of trustees.

Trustees vice-secretary Victor Msowoya said the take over would have legal implications.

He said: “What I can say is that the issue has got legal implications in terms of structuring of the club as an entity and as trustees, we are not aware neither has it been discussed.”

Msowoya said they value and respect the relationship they have with NMC which is partnership.

“The issue of buy out is corporate in nature and it cannot be decided overnight. A sponsor is an investor, so if it is buying out, it will be on what terms and paying who? Those are the issues that would have to be looked into,” he said. n