‘BIRDS’ ELDERS QUESTION HEFTY CAF BILL

MBABANE – The drama is far from over.

A new chapter in the tumultuous saga of Mbabane Swallows has emerged, as the club’s council of elders has reached out to the publication with concerns regarding the club’s financial situation. This development follows the recent revelation by Acting President Absalom Ngwenya, that the club are struggling to overcome serious financial difficulties resulting from their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League campaign. Ngwenya revealed that the team had spent an estimated E1.7 million in their participation in the CAF Champions League. He admitted that the financial difficulties faced by the club are as a result of their involvement in the continental competition, indicating a significant budgetary strain that has placed a burden on the team’s resources.

In a stunning twist, the Secretary of Elders Enock Nkosi released a statement yesterday, expressing grave concerns regarding the said expenditure. “Most problems for the team are as a result of the leadership crisis. The team has changed from being run as a company to an association by a few individuals who even assured everyone that the team was prepared to participate in CAF games.

“They made status changes without involving the teams’ stakeholders and important stakeholders in Mr. Gamedze’s estate,” reads part of the stataement in part. Furthermore, the statement shed light on the reluctance of potential sponsors to support Mbabane Swallows due to concerns about the current management issues. According to the elders, many businesses and individuals are eager to back the team, but are hesitant to do so until they see evidence of improved accountability and transparency in the club’s leadership. “Can the current management account for the E1.7 million bill which we read about in the Times of Eswatini newspaper,” reads the statement.

The elders additionally called for the current management to engage with the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and Eswatini Football Association (EFA) to change the club’s status and return ownership to the supporters. The elders believe that such a shift in ownership and leadership will restore confidence in the team’s ability to effectively manage resources and attract sponsors. They further recommend that the management seek the guidance and wisdom of Princess Lungile, who has been an influential figure in the club’s history, in order to chart a path forward that prioritises supporter ownership and democratic governance.

It should be noted that Nkosi was among the six officials recently suspended by Swallows. This action was taken in response to the appointment of Princess Lungile as Chairperson of the club by a faction of the elders, which sparked a power struggle within the club’s leadership. In response to the allegations made by the former elders, Mbabane Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge Ngwenya, stated that the club are yet to receive any formal communication from them regarding their concerns. However, he emphasised that the team are actively seeking sponsorships to alleviate their financial strain after the costly CAF Champions League campaign.

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