* Waiting till late when the deadline is a day or two away is always a norm in most processes we are required to — yet such services are good for the citizenry
* Apart from entry to matches and other events, the TNM Mpamba card can also be used for ATM withdraws and payment in shops through point of sale (PoS) to be found in shops
Today is the last day of registration for the 2025 General Elections for Blantyre, Likoma, Nkhata Bay, Rumphi, Dowa, Mchinji, Ntcheu, Kasungu, Zomba and Thyolo and from reports, queues today were long.
Why? We Malawians tend to take it easy to do the needful until at the last moment — finding ourselves in panic. Despite constant reminders of the registration process on November 9 in the areas mentioned, people have now unnecessarily queued for long trying to be the 16h00 final whistle.
The process is fast, I must admit. I went to register on June 11 and found not more than 20 people, most of them women. When my turn came, it took less than 5 minutes and it was completed — with my presence there in less than 20 minutes.
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Waiting till late when the deadline is a day or two away is always a norm in most processes we are required to — yet such services are good for the citizenry!
The same happened with Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), which alerted customers that the Token Identifier Project (TID), which it rolled out in June 2023 to upgrade all pre-paid meters, is still on-going and that some meters will be non-compliant by November 24 — this coming Sunday.
The customers whose pre-paid meters have not been upgraded on Token Identifier were asked to buy electricity units in advance by November 24 for the next two months with ESCOM pledging to provide electricity units on credit for customers without the capacity to buy the two-month worth of units in advance.
But when the customers were being reminded that the deadline wa fast approaching, and that those not in compliance by Sunday, will not be able to load electricity, there was panic but ESCOM gave them the alternative of advance units on credit.
The assurance was the these units will be recovered through deductions from electricity units purchased after the meter replacements. It also provided simple was of checking if the customers’ pre-paid meters were upgraded. I think ESCOM should thank me in a special way for amplifying this!
I am bringing this MEC registration and ESCOM processes in relation to an important service that football fans need to register for — the shifting of paper ticketing for all TNM Super League to 100% TNM Mpamba electronic ticketing, whose deadline is November 30 and rolling out December 1, 2024.
The deadline is fast approaching and all fans should do is very simple; buy a TNM Mpamba card using TNM Smart APP, under Services, select Khadi Mbambande or dial *444#, select 5, then follow menu prompts.
After application, customers get their physical cards at a TNM shop of their choice and alternatively at all TNM shops, TNM Super League match venues or selected agents and dealers.
For those who will have cash but don’t have the card, the registration gadgets will be available at venues for fans to pay cash and get an instant card on the spot.
Apart from entry to matches and other events, the TNM Mpamba card can also be used for ATM withdraws and payment in shops through point of sale (PoS) to be found in shops.
The e-ticketing was introduced way back before kick off of the TNM Super League 2024, which is an innovative step that aims to enhance convenience, streamline access, elevate the overall matchday experience for supporters and curb fraud around football arena.
It is to mark a significant transition from traditional paper tickets to digital access — aligning with modern technological advancements and catering to the evolving preferences of football enthusiasts.
Nyirenda (left) and Sukasuka sealing the deal
At the announcement of the 100% roll out of the services in Lilongwe, Chimwemwe Nyirenda — marketing & commercialisation sub-committee chairperson of Super League of Malawi (SULOM) — unpacked benefits of the e-ticketing service, which include entrenching cashless culture amongst football fans.
Above all, this service is to curb fraud around football arena, which has been rampant over the years, stealing from the main beneficiaries of the Beautiful Game — the football players.
TNM’s Mpamba General Manager, Christopher Sukasuka also attested that the e-ticketing innovation brings sanity and helps teams collect revenue conveniently — while on the other hand, league managers have total control of the match revenues.
Christopher Sukasuka
Both SULOM and TNM maintain that apart from safeguarding of revenue, other advantages include real-time attendance tracking and prevention of fraudulent activities.
The real-time attendance tracking was manifested during the Airtel Top 8 final between Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets on the November 9, which tracked that high patronage at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe grossed a record-breaking total of K116,454,500 in revenue, of which 50% was from e-ticketing.
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Soon after the final, in which Nyasa Big Bullets defended the Airtel Top 8 title by beating inaugural champions in 2017, FAM president, Fleetwood Haiya said the record-breaking K116.454 million gross revenue gives a reason to believe that Malawi football is “on a good trajectory”.
“Our resolve is to keep improving our gate management systems to give teams more resources,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “A big thank you to all the fans for making this milestone possible — together we can do more.”
On its own Facebook page, Airtel Malawi Plc took cognizance that the record has been broken because of the support of supporters in embracing e-ticketing, which the mobile money service provider always reminded them prior to every matchday through automatically-generated SMSs.
Am also attesting and amplifying that this is the way forward if our football is to develop through generation of revenue to benefit the players, to renovate our stadia as well as to finance various needs of the Beautiful Game.
At the end of the day, it is for the benefit of the fans themselves as sponsors will plough back into the system what will be earned in more investment, which will keep the teams at competitive edge throughout — making our players more exposed for the benefit of our national teams.
Advance e-ticketing has been the process all over world and we all need to be in sync because the global village is transforming into digital and we cannot talk of ‘Revive, Reform, Rebrand’ (as is the motto for SULOM) and ‘Trasforming the Game’ (by FAM) if we lag behind.
Don’t be an average Malawian, be smart by getting your Mpamba Debit Card for convenience — not just for buying football match tickets but also to be used for ATM withdraws and payment in shops through point of sale (PoS) to be found in shops.
I am sure you will thank SULOM and TNM — and me for amplifying this! — once you will starting enjoying the the benefits of this cashless culture.
