Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture says planned minor renovations of Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre will have to wait for a comprehensive assessment report from Ministry of Transport and Public Works.
The ministry’s position comes a week after Blantyre-based FDH Bank Premiership clubs FCB Nyasa Bullets, Mighty Wanderers and Ekhaya FC agreed to pool resources to fast-track the works at the facility to pave the way for a Football Association of Malawi (FAM) re-inspection of the banned facility.
the facility. | Nation
The priority areas include plumbing works, a standby generator installation, repairs to the perimeter fence, road access to the stadium and obtaining a safety certificate from Blantyre City Council.
But checks at the facility yesterday established that no renovation works have started seven days after the meeting.
Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture spokesperson MacMillan Mwale in an interview yesterday said they are waiting for a comprehensive report from Ministry of Transport and Public Works.
He said: “This might delay because the stadium managerment cannot just determine the scope of work. We use officials from Ministry of Transport and Public Works as our consultants.
“They came and inspected the facility and will come up with a comprehensive report on the facility, including the cost of the minor renovations that the clubs want to do. Once they finalise that, we will share with them.”
The delay means the anticipated FAM re-inspection, which stakeholders had hoped would take place this week, will have to wait.
Yesterday, the clubs said they will wait for cost estimates for the renovations before they can mobilise resources.
“We agreed that we will be shared with the expected costs for the renovations. We have not been served with the same up to now,” said Wanderers acting chief executive officer Wollece Kachingwe.
His Bullets counterpart Albert Chigoga in an interview yesterday said stadium officials were yet to cost the required renovations.
FAM club licensing and competitions manager Clement Kafwafwa said they will wait for communication from the stadium owners on the re-inspection.
Kamuzu Stadium has been closed to elite football since April after failing to meet FAM’s club licensing minimum requirements.
The closure has forced Blantyre-based top-flight clubs to host their home matches at alternative venues, including Mpira Stadium in Chiwembe Township within the city and Joyce Chitsulo Stadium in Mwanza, resulting in reduced match-day revenues and increased operational costs.
