‘Govt has not dumped BB,Nomads stadium projects’

Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire says the government has not abandoned stadium projects for local football giants FCB Nyasa Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers as construction will restart soon.

He made the assurance after Blantyre City South legislator Noel Lipipa yesterday asked in Parliament about the project, which has been halted for months.

Mkandawire said the projects were allocated K800 million in the 2023/24 National Budget, but construction works will continue once the government settles outstanding arrears.

“Government is talking to contractors, who are on site, to settle outstanding arrears. Once that is sorted, the works will continue,” the minister said.

Lipipa said he queried the minister on the construction progress because he is aware that once the projects are finalised, they will not only help the two football powerhouses to have homes, but also spur economic growth in his constituency.

He also pleaded with the government to fast-track the upgrading of roads in his area.

For the past three years, Bullets and Wanderers stadium projects were not allocated funds.

The projects started in 2020 but stopped later due to lack of funds.

Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga and Wanderers chief executive officer Roosevelt Mpinganjira, whose clubs have never owned a stadium, said they are hopeful the government will live up to its word to complete the projects.

Construction work at Wanderers Stadium in Soche Township is at 75 percent while that of the Bullets in Zingwangwa Township is at 50 percent.

China Civil Engineering Construction Company is working on the Bullets Stadium project while Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Company is responsible for the works at Wanderers Stadium.