Parliament has passed Ministry of Youth and Sports’ K10.4 billion budget for 2025/26 financial year with K7.13 billion going towards various sports projects.
Griffin Saenda Indoor Sports Complex in Lilongwe is the major beneficiary with an allocation of about K2.6 billion followed by K2 billion for the completion of the Soche (Mighty Wanderers) Stadium in Blantyre, according to budget documents.
Mzuzu Youth Centre has received K1 billion, the same as the Aquatic Centre at Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe.
Bingu National Stadium has received K200 million for its operations while that of Kamuzu Stadium is K80 million.
There is also K60 million for Neno Youth Centre.
The ministry’s total budget is an improvement to last year’s K7.8 billion which was later revised to K11.9 billion during Midyear Budget Review.
In an interview yesterday, Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire said they were satisfied with the budget although they would have loved a hefty package.
“Of course, we expected a better package, but we are happy with the huge improvements as compared to the previous budget,” he said.
“It is not adequate but, at least, we have somewhere to start from.”
He justified the funding of only Soche Stadium in Blantyre, saying the project is at an advanced stage.
“Apart from that, there is an ownership challenge on Zingwangwa Stadium. Someone showed up, claiming they own the land. That issue has to be sorted out first,” Mkandawire said.
While welcoming the allocation of K1 billion to Mzuzu Youth Centre, Mzuzu Youth Association (MYA) coordinator Francis Chirambo said the funding is not good enough to take the project to a better level in the next few years.
“The youth centre project needs over K20 billion to be completed and the K1billion allocation means it will take many years to be in good shape. It could be better to give it K5 billion in the new financial year,” he said.
Chirambo said the fast-tracking of the project can help to sort out a lot of challenges in Mzuzu such as scarcity of sports facilities and lack of good places for the youth to network.
Meanwhile, Parliament has also approved Malawi National Council of Sports budget of K13.5 billion of which K11.5 billion is for other recurrent transactions (ORT).
BAT stadium construction project has been allocated K2 billion.
The Flames has been allocated K1.1 billion while the Queens will get K500 million. Other sports associations will share K500 million.
Sports Council chief executive officer Henry Kamata was reluctant to comment on the passed budgets, saying they are yet to get budget documents.
Football Association of Malawi general secretary Alfred Gunda applauded government for the Flames funding.
He said: “The setting aside of a funding line is a huge statement that there is commitment towards continued support towards national teams.
“The guaranteed line for national teams funding will afford football the opportunity to manage resources and even lobby for more support as it will always reflect the picture of the needs of national teams.”
