Chakwera yet to fulfil sports pledges
President Lazarus Chakwera is yet to fulfil most of the pledges he made towards sports development when he was elected into office three years ago.
During the 2020 State of the Nation Address, the President promised to launch a sports academy, rehabilitate existing youth centres and construct new ones. He also pledged to train 800 school coaches invarious sports disciplines as part of sports development programmes.
However, to date he has only constructed the Griffin Saenda Netball Complex in Lilongwe. As of now, the Northern Region has no indoor and standard sports facilities.
The public scramble for open courts belonging to Katoto Secondary School in Mzuzu.
Just like the North, the Southern Region does not have public indoor facilities. Prominent sports events organiser Killy Msukwa said lack of sports facilities in the country is not only affecting the growth of sports talent, but also infringes on youths access to recreation facilites which are signi f icant for their upbringing and healthy living.
“We are let down to have international sports event due to unavailability of standard sports venues.
“You can plan to have the event in December in Mzuzu but we have very few indoor sports facilities.
“This is a big gap that government needs to look into if it is really serious with youth empowerment programme,” he said.
But Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire said it is impossible for the Tonse Government to fulfil everything it promised in one term.
He said there are some projects under construction.
Mkandawire said “We are aware of what is expected of us . However, people should know that we cannot fulfil everything at one time. Overall, we are doing something towards improving sports infrastructure provision in the country.
“We have not just stayed idle. We have the Griffin Saenda Indoor Sports Complex in Lilongwe and construction work for Wanderers and Bullets stadiums in Blantyre is underway, the same with Mzuzu Youth Centre project.”
Former sports official Julius Mithi said infrastructure forms a bigger part towards sports development and it is sad that government has failed to live up to its promise.
He said: “I know many youths have been let down because they could have found some work to do if these promised projects took place.
“Look at the way people have been cheated. The President has failed to fulfill his promises and I don’t see government doing all that in the remaining two years,” he said.
