Mpulula bed-ridden

Former Azam Tigers and Under-20 national soccer team coach Leo Mpulula is battling for his life at his brother’s residence at Area 36 in Lilongwe after being diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB).

Mpulula told The Nation and Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), who visited him on Wednesday, that he was diagnosed with TB of the lungs early this year at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe.

“I am in great pain and only God knows my destiny,” said Mpulula, who further lamented that no football administrator or his fellow coaches had visited him.

“It is only you guys who are coming here. I am not surprised because that is the way people behave here in Malawi. We like helping a person when he or she is dead,” he said.

Leo thanked his brother, Lucky, for the care and support he is giving him.

He said the sickness had foiled his intention to return to coaching, saying: “I do not think I will be returning any time soon.”

Meanwhile, the Former Football Players Association (FFPA) has appealed to well-wishers to help Mpulula.

“Of course, no-one is obliged to help, but on humanitarian grounds, we are appealing to those that can assist including FAM and the National Football Coaches Committee (NFCC) to help because we cannot leave the task to his brother alone,” said the association’s chairperson, Ojukwu Malunga:

“On our part, we have asked our colleagues in Lilongwe to go and cheer him. As we are talking to you now, Austin Nyondo, Chance Gondwe and Lovemore Fazili have gone to visit him,” he said.

Malunga, who was flanked by his deputy, Lawrence Mnenula and treasurer Thom Milanzi, echoed Mpulula’s observation that people only come in to assist during funerals.

“But the right time to offer assistance is now when we can save one’s life,” he said.