If his FAM re-election campaign promise to secure sponsorship in 2012 was a bout, then this is a 12-rounder. And being in June, we are in round six.
After being on the back foot, retreating and taking in jabs in the past five rounds, Walter Nyamilandu is now making use of his reach with devastating effect. His opponents are on the ropes.
Walter has just delivered on his campaign promise to secure sponsorship for Mighty Wanderers and Big Bullets. Rather than sit on his laurels, he should aim at knocking out (KO) his critics.
I will tell you why Walter’s promise, in the build up to the December 17 2011 FAM elections, felt like another blue lie.
If it were in another country, his sponsorship promise would have, perhaps, just been football business as usual. But we are talking about Malawi; a land infested with hunger, disease and envy.
This is a country that has witnessed presidents with weird promises and dreams. Remember the promise to build a bridge across Lake Malawi or the one about buying pairs of shoes for the whole nation?
Malawi has had political leaders who have impressed on their people to, while on night fuel queues, dream in colour.
The nation has witnessed presidents inaugurating an inland port way before a feasibility study has been done.
Back to the FAM leader. Having given credit where it is due, I do not believe it is Walter’s responsibility to secure sponsorship for clubs when the Flames and other national football teams have none.
Yes, it makes sense to have a strong foundation for the domestic league because in the absence of vibrant club football, the Flames would be hopeless, clueless and useless.
Now that the FAM president has proved that there is good will out there, he should devote his energy to transforming FAM into a blueprint of football commercialisation. Flames must have an official sponsor.
I remember in the early 1990s, Carlsberg were the Flames’ official partner and the team used to don green colours that symbolised Carlsberg’s Make Malawi Green campaign.
Going through Walter’s manifesto, there remains the 2014 World Cup finals qualification. The Flames have to hoist our flag in Brazil. And this is another king size dream.
I never believed Walter when he promised to get sponsorship for Bullets and Wanderers. I still doubt if the Flames’ World Cup dream is achievable.
While the FAM boss needed boardroom meetings to impress on Carlsberg management, the Flames face challenges in and off the boardroom.
Prove me wrong, Walter. For now let me give Walter the benefit of the doubt for his track record, even after ‘taking’ the Flames to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nation finals after 26 years. To all his critics, you have your backs against the wall.
