FIFA approves Luwinga project phase three
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is now set to complete the Luwinga Technical Centre in Mzuzu, five years after the contractor completed the second phase following Fifa approval of $110 000 (about K90 million) funding.
The association’s general secretary Alfred Gunda said in an interview the infrastructure is earmarked to house FAM’s planned Football School of Excellence.
He said: “After completing the Mpira Stadium in Blantyre, our focus on infrastructure development is now on Luwinga Technical Centre.
“After delays Fifa has finally approved the project and released the funding. We want to build a wall to secure the land as we noticed that it was being encroached.
“After the wall, we will now go into phase four to furniture the hostel and offices as well as construct two football pitches as we target to open a full-fledged school of excellence within the next two years.”
Northern Region Football Association chairperson Lameck Khonje, who has been critical on the mother body’s failure to utilise the facility, said it was high time FAM completed the project.
“We are happy that FAM is now completing the project. There is hope. We are eagerly looking forward to the completion of the project,” he said
The centre was constructed by Sitbec Construction Company at K340 million with funding from Fifa Goal Project, to ease football infrastructure problems in the region.
In December 2016, the facility, which has offices, hostels and a football pitch, was hired to Livingstonia Synod Church and Society who were using it as a training and research centre.
However, the tenants did not stay long as they left just months into the contract.
The facility remained abandoned and in ruins for five years resulting in people encroaching on the area, sparkling fears that the project was a white elephant.
Last year, FAM donated the facility to be a Covid-19 isolation centre, a decision that led to its vandalism as surrounding residence protested.
The damage to the centre is yet to be renovated as FAM is still waiting for its insurer to do so. Now, FAM has announced that it will complete the project with the release of $110 000 (about K90 million) under Fifa Forward Programme.
