New BT stadium first phase gets K1.5bn

President Peter Mutharika’s promise for a new national stadium in Blantyre would probably become a reality as government has allocated K1.5 billion for designs and the first phase of the facility’s construction in the 2017/18 National Budget.

However, the total cost of the national stadium is yet to be disclosed. Principal secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Lucky Sikwese and chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs Richard Chimwendo Banda confirmed the funding is part of K3.65 billion allocation to the ministry for sports infrastructure development.

The allocation also includes K1 billion for the erection of Mzuzu Youth Centre, K800 million for designs and construction of a new youth centre in Blantyre, K200 million for the rehabilitation of Kamuzu Institute for Sports (KIS) in Lilongwe and K150 million for repairing other facilities such as Civo Stadium.

The development has given sports lovers, especially the President Peter Mutharika’s promise for a new national stadium in Blantyre would probably become a reality as government has allocated K1.5 billion for designs and the first phase of the facility’s construction in the 2017/18 National Budget. However, the total cost of the national stadium is yet to be disclosed.

Principal secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Lucky Sikwese and chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs Richard Chimwendo Banda confirmed the funding is part of K3.65 billion allocation to the ministry for sports infrastructure development.

The allocation also includes K1 billion for the erection of Mzuzu Youth Centre, K800 million for designs and construction of a new youth centre in Blantyre, K200 million for the rehabilitation of Kamuzu Institute for Sports (KIS) in Lilongwe and K150 million for repairing other facilities such as Civo Stadium.

The development has given sports lovers, especially the that they will lobby for increased funding for the rehabilitation of KIS and other facilities because they feel the allocated finances are not adequate.

Nevertheless, the erection of the new stadium in the commercial city will be a big relief for Blantyre-based TNM Super League outfits Nyasa Big Bullets, Be Forward Wanderers and Azam Tigers, who spend a lot to fulfil their home fixtures at distant venues such as Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo, Chikwawa.

“It is a welcome idea that government has considered Blantyre in a big way. The new stadium will consequently solve issues of inadequate venues for football matches, though I know that the stadium will host various sport disciplines not football alone,” said Bullets general secretary Albert Chigoga.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu yesterday described the investment as very commendable and necessary, saying, infrastructure plays a critical role in the development of sports.

“We are very pleased with the decision to construct a new stadium in Blantyre because it will accord clubs and fans in the commercial city a state-of-theart facility without having to travel long distances for football matches,” he said.

“Government has shown that it cares about the plight of the football fraternity by planning to construct a new national stadium in Blantyre. Once completed, Malawi will surely be able to host the Africa Cup of Nations or any other tournaments within the region as we also have the state-of-the-art Bingu National Stadium.”

Soccer analyst George KaudzaMasina said the allocation of funding for designs and first phase of the new stadium construction “just shows that government is serious on the project.”