The MOC has approximately 30 affiliates but only a select few have offices, including the National Associations of football, netball and athletics.

The issue of “briefcase associations” was central to the MOC’s recent Annual General Meeting in the Malawi capital of Lilongwe.

“We have been encouraging our affiliates to enter into sponsorship agreements and partnerships with various companies and organisations, but this has been difficult for most of the Associations because they have been operating in cocoons,” Kanjala told Nyasa Times.

“It is difficult to reach out to most of the Associations because their operations are handled by individuals.

“If there are people in offices to handle operations of Associations; communication and visibility of that body becomes easy.”

Kanjala added the grants “are just an administrative support” and that “the associations will decide the area that needs support within their secretariats”.

Last year, the Chess Association of Malawi received a grant of around 4 million Kwacha (£6,300/$9,100/€8,600) from the World Chess Federation, but the body, led by former People’s Party Parliamentarian Kezzie Msukwa, chose to spend the money on other activities.

Kanjala was re-elected unopposed as President of the MOC in March 2014, following a vote at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi.

He was the only candidate on the nominated list endorsed by the MOC's Judicial Commission and is now just over a quarter of the way through a four-year term in office.