‘JBF tourney here to stay’
The second edition of the K100 million Joyce Banda Foundation Inter-Constituency Tournament will start next year despite setbacks that beset the inaugural tournament, Weekend Nation has learnt.
The office of the former president disclosed this in an interview with Weekend Nation on Tuesday.
Joyce Banda’s spokesperson Tusekele Mwanyongo said there was no politics linked with tournament as some people believed.
“The tournament will still go on as it was not a political concept. The concept behind its introduction was to keep the youth active. This tournament is sponsored through the Joyce Banda Foundation by American friends who graced the launch in February last year. Actually, the JBF was there before she became president,” said Mwanyongo.
The former president partnered with One World Football Project and the Jack Brewer Foundation Worldwide to launch the tournament.
Jack Brewer Foundation founder Jack Brewer and One World Football Project founder Tim Jagnigen graced the launch.
Mwanyongo said JB was not happy that the first edition of the tournament was not concluded due to what he described as political elements.
“She has observed a number of errors and one of the main ones was that people entrusted to run the tournament were politicians. That is why the tournament was politicised and was never concluded.
“However, lessons have been learnt and we are sorting out that mess. But, definitely, next season it will be a well-organised tournament,” said Mwanyongo.
According to Mwanyongo, only a few games took place in the unconcluded tournament.
At the launch of the tournament, Jagnigen said they were excited to assist the country in the development of the sport.
On his part, Brewer said they would continue supporting JBF after being in partnership with JBF for a long time.
“We hope through this mechanism, we can help Malawi in the socio-economic sector,” said Brewer.
Mwanyongo said most of the equipment donated to the constituencies is still available and will be used in the next edition of the tournament.
He said the date for the start of the tournament will be announced in due course.
