Nyasa claim BB officials dividing players

Nyasa Manufacturing Company (NMC), sponsors of Nyasa Big Bullets, claim some of the team’s officials are creating divisions among the players through the signing-on fee controversy.

This comes in the wake of revelations by one of the team’s senior players Pilirani Zonda that his team-mates are accusing him and Bashir Maunde of having secretly received their signing-on fees from the sponsors.

“We have heard that some people, who claim to love the team, are in the forefront spreading false allegations among the players that we, as sponsors, secretly paid Zonda and Bashir signing-on fees.

“What is disappointing is that the one creating this nonsense is a top official for the club just to advance his own interests. This is utter rubbish and as board of directors, we are extremely disappointed. It is more disturbing coming at a time when players are supposed to focus on upcoming crucial matches,” said NMC managing director Dimitri Kalaitzis yesterday.

He said as sponsors, it is not their responsibility to pay players signing-on fees, saying that is the duty of the executive committee.

“As Nyasa, we have got our obligations which have always honoured and there is nothing that is outstanding, that we have not given the club.”

Asked why they are not intervening on the outstanding issue of signing-on fees, Kalaitizis said: “As sponsors, we have limits. We only provide sponsorship as per contractual agreement. We are not the owners of the team.”

Zonda confirmed in an interview with The Nation having been confronted alongside Maunde by some of his team-mates on the issue.

“I was very disturbed because when I asked my colleagues about the source of the allegations, they mentioned one of the officials and yet it is all false.

“It is the executive committee that offered us signing-on fees and up to this date, they are yet to honour them and it pains that for whatever reason, one of them is going around fabricating such stories,” said Zonda, adding that he reported the matter to the club’s acting general secretary Kelvin Moyo.

Moyo yesterday confirmed receiving a complaint from the two players.

“It is sad that instead of addressing the challenge we have at hand, some of us are implicating sponsors and even players in such false allegations.

“Obviously the sponsors are not happy and have demanded an explanation, but it is an issue that we are trying to sort out internally,” he said.

Bullets players are owed in excess of K43 million in signing-on fees.

Meanwhile, the sponsors have also expressed their disappointment at learning that the club released four players—Muhammad Sulumba, John Lanjesi, Sankhani Mkandawire and Owen Chaima—to travel South Africa and Tanzania when the are crucial cup and league games within the week.

NMC managing director Dimitri Kalaitzis yesterday.

He said as sponsors, it is not their responsibility to pay players signing-on fees, saying that is the duty of the executive committee.

“As Nyasa, we have got our obligations which have always honoured and there is nothing that is outstanding, that we have not given the club.”

Asked why they are not intervening on the outstanding issue of signing-on fees, Kalaitizis said: “As sponsors, we have limits. We only provide sponsorship as per contractual agreement. We are not the owners of the team.”

Zonda confirmed in an interview with The Nation having been confronted alongside Maunde by some of his team-mates on the issue.

“I was very disturbed because when I asked my colleagues about the source of the allegations, they mentioned one of the officials and yet it is all false.

“It is the executive committee that offered us signing-on fees and up to this date, they are yet to honour them and it pains that for whatever reason, one of them is going around fabricating such stories,” said Zonda, adding that he reported the matter to the club’s acting general secretary Kelvin Moyo.

Moyo yesterday confirmed receiving a complaint from the two players.

“It is sad that instead of addressing the challenge we have at hand, some of us are implicating sponsors and even players in such false allegations.

“Obviously the sponsors are not happy and have demanded an explanation, but it is an issue that we are trying to sort out internally,” he said.

Bullets players are owed in excess of K43 million in signing-on fees.

Meanwhile, the sponsors have also expressed their disappointment at learning that the club released four players—Muhammad Sulumba, John Lanjesi, Sankhani Mkandawire and Owen Chaima—to travel South Africa and Tanzania when the are crucial cup and league games within the week.