Ministry of Youth and Sports say government is still funding construction of stadiums for privately-owned clubs Nyasa Big Bullets (BB) and Be Forward Wanderers despite not allocating funding in the 2019/20 national budget.
Bullets Stadium is being constructed near Moneymen Club along Chikwawa Road while that of the Nomads is located at Soche in Blantyre.
In an interview Ministry of Youth and Sports spokesperson Symon Mbvundula said the project is using funding from the 2018/19 budget.
“The construction work for the two stadia is going on well and is using money allocated in the previous budget,” he said.
Mbvundula also said the work will take about two years to be completed.
Recently, Minister of Youth and Sports Ulemu Msungama was quoted by The Nation as having said the Tonse Alliance administration did not include funding in the current budget for the country’s top two teams because it is not a priority.
He said, “We cannot prioritise what we did not promise. We have to live our dream.
“Building stadiums for Bullets and Wanderers was not on our agenda. Nevertheless, we will proceed with the projects. We have not abandoned. But how we will do that is a subject for another day.”
In his remarks, Nyasa Big Bullets executive director Albert Chigoga said the government has not abandoned the project since it is its responsibility to construct the stadium.
“As you are aware, Nyasa Big Bullets is just a beneficiary. We believe the government will complete the project,” he said.
Be Forward Wanderers general secretary Victor Maunde asked for more time before commenting on the matter.
Visiting the stadia sites on Wednesday, The Nation has established progress on fences.
