SULOM ELECTIONS, ACHIEVEMENTS, MANIFESTOS & CAPABILITIES

TIMES RADIO DEBATE FACT CHECK

We will do a fact check on some of the issues raised by the candidates in yesterday’s Times Radio debate so that voters are not misled by deliberate misrepresentations.

Our role is to ensure that the election is won fairly not based on lies and bribes.

1. Does SULOM currently have a secretariat?

Yes.

The offices used to be at Delamere House. They are now at MDC Stadium. We have also met Mr Haiya at the Delamere offices several times. What Mr Nsomba is saying is that the secretariat needs to be empowered by amending the constitution.

Verdict: Mr Haiya was not being truthful by repeatedly saying there is no secretariat

2. Is Mr Haiya part of the group that was mandated with amending the constitution to reduce powers of the Executive committee and transfer those powers to the secretariat to make it more effective?

Yes.
Verdict: It seems the delays to amend the constitution were deliberate to create a situation to be exploited during campaign. Mr Haiya needs to know that it is wrong to create a crisis deliberately for self-gain.

3. Is Sulom shareholder of Mpira Tv?

Yes.

FAM gets 10% revenue. Sulom gets 10% revenue. 80% goes to Super League clubs. So in total the revenue going to Super League is 80% + 10%.

How can Sulom get 90% without being a shareholder? Why was Sulom a signatory of the agreement?

Verdict: Mr Haiya was not being truthful. We commend Mr Somba for this deal in particular because it seems Mr Haiya has not read much on broadcasting rights. Broadcasting Rights belong to the FAs.  So this is a huge achievement.

4. Is Sulom part of the Super League Players MASM Contract?

Yes
Verdict: It seems Mr Haiya is keen to twist facts to suit him. Sulom co-signed the contract agreement, Super League players benefit from this contract. What else is Mr Haiya looking for?

5. Is it true that Sulom could have started giving clubs 7m or 10m long ago but the money was going into people’s pockets?

No

Verdict: This statement is both desperate and irresponsible on the part of Mr Haiya. We all know that the increase in subvention is coming from increase in sponsorship and the 100m FAM grant. These things have just happened. Mr Haiya is relying on the same money.

So where the increase would have come from in the past? If anything Mr Somba needs to be commended for making efforts to increase prize money in the absence of a corresponding increase by League sponsors.

6. Has Haiya achieved a lot at Bullets

No

Verdict: Mr Lipipa is the one who secured the Nyasa deal. Mr Haiya is an employee of Nyasa, the club owners. On the field the team has achieved much since the coming of Pasuwa. What has NBB achieved off the field in terms of corporate sponsors, partners, increase in value etc? Has the value of the club increased in the last 2 years? NBB is the most high expenditure team in the league but that money doesn’t go to players.

Their players are amongst the least paid when compared with Wanderers and Silver, the players are owed arrears and when they complain they are either disciplined or fired like it’s a military camp. In CAF they have failed to make any strides.

CAF has just become an expenditure route. So where are the achievements? His donations to clubs are not achievements. He knew he would need their votes in return. As for Nyasa Capital Finance, it is a separate entity which is giving back to the people through CSR the money it makes from them. That has nothing to do with these elections. So what are his achievements? Where is the proof that he is able to court corporate sponsors?

7. Is it important for the candidates to declare officially if they will run for FAM presidency in December or not?

Yes

Verdict: And the clubs should demand that. Because both candidates promised things that cannot happen in 9 months only. So if they have made promises just to win votes when they very well know that by the end of the year they will not be there to fulfill the promises, then they are taking clubs for a ride.

 It basically means at the end of the year it is the vice president who will be in charge. It means clubs are basically voting for either Mr Mittawa or Mr Kanyenda to be their president from December once the elected president goes to FAM.

Are clubs aware of this?

8. Were government officials at the manifesto launch football stakeholders?

No

Verdict: Apart from the Minister of Sports, how can the other government officials are called stakeholders? That’s being economical with the truth.

FINALLY

I saw a debate somewhere that Mr Somba is promising clubs K1 billion. That’s another desperate misrepresentation. Mr Somba has said the Total Value of the league will be K1 billion. Value, not money for clubs but money coming into the league through grants, commercial activity, broadcasting rights, game revenue, sponsorship, etc. Total value. From this money some will go to referees, stadium owners, secretariat, man of the match, etc.

So we need to understand what value means.

To be continued…..