Blame-game on e-ticket roll-out

The e-ticket (electronic ticket) remains a far-fetched dream as the Malawi football authorities blame each other on when the system will start.

Ministry of Youth and Sports, Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and Super League of Malawi (Sulom) said they need to roll out e-ticketing to improve gate management, currently marred by proliferation of counterfeit tickets.

A fortnight ago, tickets valued K200 000 could not be accounted for in a Super League match between Chitipa United and Nyasa Big Bullets at Karonga Stadium as fans forced their way into the stadium without paying.

Local pundits recommend e-ticketing as the best way to curb fraud during football games.

In September this year, Minister of Youth and Sports Ulemu Msungama was quoted by The Nation as saying the ministry is discussing with seven local firms to implement e-ticketing ahead of the return of sports in the country.

Silver Strikers Football Club also revealed plans to install e-ticketing at their Silver Stadium base in Lilongwe, but according to the club’s officials, the project is yet to materialise due to technical hitches.

“Initial infrastructure is in place. What is remaining is just the software aspect. We had hiccups with the company installing the facility due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is, therefore, going to take time to implement e-ticketing,” said the club’s marketing and communications officer David Dauda when contacted to follow up on the progress of the innovation.

Government owns most stadiums in the country either directly or indirectly through its departments with Mpira Stadium and MDC Stadium in Blantyre under FAM.

Contacted to comment on the reason e-ticketing is yet to start, Ministry of Youth and Sports spokesperson Symon Mbvundula said the process is complex and requires input from many stakeholders; hence, the delay.

“The programme cannot be implemented anyhow. It goes through various processes. As of now we have done with consultation stage. We are now looking forward to MNCS to update us on the progress,” he said.

But MNCS acting executive secretary Henry Mereka referred Nation on Sunday to the ministry, saying they are in a better position to comment on the progress.

“The crucial part is on the procurement process to have the system in place. That is handled by the ministry and [they] are also in a better position to comment on the programme’s progress,” he said.

Both FAM and Sulom leadership made an executive resolution to adopt e-ticketing for elite teams’ matches, but the promise has not yielded practical results.

FAM marketing and commercial director Limbani Matola said the association jointly collaborated with Nitel Company on the implementation of the project and so far it has been going on very well although it is facing some teething problems.

He said: “Indeed, both FAM and Sulom leaderships made an executive resolution to adopt e-ticketing for all the matches involving the elite teams. We are jointly collaborating with Nitel on this project and so far the project is facing some teething problems. May I refer you to Sulom for more since they are directly organising the matches as their office is privileged to have finer details happening on the match venues.

Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said lack of equipment such as access control and scanners are prohibiting the system to start.

“We entrusted Nitel to do the work, but less progress has been registered because they could not supply the equipment due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Still more, teams and other stakeholders accepted to embrace e-ticketing upon the prototype demonstration that was done,” he said.

TNM plc, sponsors of the top-flight league, piloted the e-ticket system in past seasons using Mpamba.

However, the company’s public relations and sponsorship manager Limbani Nsapato says it is improving on the system to make it more efficient.

But, according to soccer analysts, e-ticketing will remain a dream in the country because some individuals are benefiting from the current set-up.

Said soccer analyst George Kaudza-Masina: “It is unfortunate that there has been a lot of talk on rolling out e-ticketing in our stadia, but nothing is on the ground. With the current system—with Malawi football the way it is—some people are cashing in on these loopholes and they will do anything to frustrate e-ticketing.”

On his part, analyst George Chiusiwa said many people close to the game at clubs and football governing bodies have been benefiting from football revenue; hence the conutinued unnecessary excuses.

“For a long time club officials, FAM or Sulom officials, including stadium owners have not been transparent and accountable on football revenue. This is the culture in the domestic game. These people can’t just change now,” he said.

On the other hand, soccer analyst Kelvin Moyo said as long as the human element is not taken away from the gates, e-ticketing is a non-starter.

BNS acting stadium manager Ambilike Mwaungulu, whose facility is the main target of the e-ticketing project, said they have not been oriented on how the programme will be implemented.

Chitipa United vice-general secretary Marshal Mwenechanya had no kind words for football authorities on the matter.

“It is unfortunate that our mother bodies are failing to meet what teams have been demanding in terms of gate management. We started this campaign long time ago but we are failing to implement them,” he said.