Govt commits to sports, youth development
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa has said government is committed to promoting sports, youth development and empowerment.
The minister made the commitment on Saturday when he presided over the opening of opened 6 000-seater Kasungu Stadium.
He said government attaches a lot of importance on stadium projects as they provide citizens, especially the youth, with a source of entertainment, thereby preventing them from indulging in bad habits such as excessive beer drinking and promiscuity.
Nankhumwa said: “This is why government responded favourably when it was approached by Kasungu Municipal Council to fund this project. The facility will go a long way in developing sports in Kasungu District because it has the potential of hosting Super League games.”
The minister said the stadium will assist the council to host football, netball and athletics on the running tracks and also create opportunity for residents to watch games in a very befitting environment.
“This facility, by its operational nature, is not only for the people of Kasungu, but it is also for the entire country. The functionality of this facility will also entirely depend on how you, as a municipal council, utilise and maintain it,” he said.
German-owned development bank, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), provided financial support for the implementation of the project through the Local Development Fund (LDF).
German Embassy deputy head of Development Cooperation Dagmar Krenz said her government will continue to provide technical and financial assistance to support local infrastructure development.
The stadium, which Malawi government has constructed through LDF to the tune of K446 million, is one of the five stadia that have been constructed and completed in councils.
The other councils include, Mangochi Town Council, Mulanje District Council, Rumphi District Council and Karonga District Council. Two new stadia are being constructed in Zomba and Ntcheu. n
