Super League of Malawi (Sulom) says TNM plc was formally informed about the decision to end their 19-year romance with the country’s top-flight football league and that the termination of the deal did not breach their contract. Sulom president Gilbert Mittawa said this yesterday in reaction to TNM’s claims that the mobile network provider was caught unawares by the league’s unveiling of new sponsors FDH Bank plc last Wednesday at Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre. FDH Bank has signed a record K5 billion five-year sponsorship deal with Sulom, translating to K1 billion per season.
“Before announcing FDH Bank as the new sponsors of the league, we wrote TNM plc, informing them that we were proceeding with other avenues. What I can tell you is that there was no breach of contract as we followed all the necessary steps,” he said. Mittawa, who is also a lawyer, challenged that TNM plc can take legal action if it feels something went amiss.
“I think it will be useless for the company to sue us because everything was procedural on our part,” he said. In a statement issued on Monday, TNM Plc claimed they engaged Sulom in discussions regarding the renewal of Super League sponsorship. “While these discussions were still ongoing, TNM learned through the media that Sulom has entered another sponsorship arrangement,” the statement reads in part.
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But Mittawa argued there were no such talks with TNM. Meanwhile, the Sulom president has said they are hopeful that TNM will fulfil its obligation of disbursing prizes to teams and individuals for the 2025 season. “The contract we signed was up to the end of 2025 season.
Therefore, the expectation is that TNM will honour their obligation to give teams and individuals their prizes. It is up to them to choose when to do that,” said Mittawa. TNM bankrolled the league with K500 million per season with the champions Mighty Wanderers to get K100 million, runners-up FCB Nyasa Bullets K40 million and third-placed Silver Strikers K30 million.
The most improved team is assured of K4 million. In individual awards, the best player will get K3 million while joint top-scorers Chikumbutso Salima and Babatunde Adepoju of Bullets will share K2 million. The best defender, midfielder, goalkeeper, rookie and coach will each receive K1 million while the best four referees will receive K300 000 apiece. Ironically, the latest development comes barely a fortnight after TNM committed to extend the sponsorship.
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