It was all pomp and fun when Mighty Wanderers Football Club celebrated their 50th Anniversary in May but the popular club is yet to pay for the catering services offered and the owner now wants his money.

Sources told The Weekend Times that Director of Leah's Kitchen Ritchard Nkunika on Tuesday this week pounced on Daniel Mbebuwa who worked on behalf of the club during the celebrations.

Nkunika confirmed the development in an interview, saying Mbebuwa got missing soon after the players ate the food provided by Leah's Kitchen.

Our source said on May 5 this year, Mbebuwa negotiated on behalf of Wanderers asking Leah's Kitchen to provide food to about 75 people.

"But since that day Mbebuwa was nowhere to be seen. I tried to talk to one of Wanderers' officials, a Mr. Msadala, who is yet to come back to me," said Nkunika.

However, it was last Tuesday near Galaxy House in Blantyre when Nkunika pounced on Mbebuwa and took him to task over the unpaid bill.

"I have suffered a big loss in business because my stock ran out," said Nkunika.

But Wanderers FC distanced itself from the matter, saying it had its own club house where its officials and players were provided with food including other vital services.

"We don't know anything about that. No official or Wanderers' player was involved in any dealing with Leah's Kitchen. We do not even know where it is. Therefore, the story is a mere fabrication aimed at tarnishing our image," said Wanderers General Secretary David Kanyenda.

Kanyenda also expressed ignorance over Leah's Kitchen claims that it had approached Wanderers FC over the unpaid bills.

"We fulfill all our financial obligations. But Leah's Kitchen did not come to us to launch an official complaint. Our advice is that they should come forward if there is any issue with Wanderers rather than going to the papers," said Kanyenda.

He added that Red Lions FC was paid an appearance fee to carter for their own food, among other things.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, when The Weekend Times had embarked on its investigations, Nkunika pleaded that the story should not be pub¬lished.

On his part, Mbebuwa said his Kings Marketing firm clinched a deal with Wanderers Club during their 50th Anniversary in which among others, it helped the club to woo sponsors.

"As part of contributing to the event, Kings Marketing identified Leah's Kitchen which offered to reduce prices of meals for the Wanderers players from K500 to K400 per pack. But Wanderers swapped it for some players of Red Lions and Bullets Vet¬erans," said Mbebuwa.

Mbebuwa said he was surprised to learn that Wanderers Club was refusing to recognise him after rendering his services.

"I was coordinating the Wanderers' event. So, it is very unfortunate to learn that Mr. Kanyenda is claim¬ing that he does not know anything about this deal, which we clinched on behalf of his club. In fact, Wanderers owes Kings Marketing K200, 000 cash for the services it rendered during its anniversary," said Mbebuwa.