Kamuzu Stadium used to be the country’s soccer mecca, hosting high profile matches in the country but it has now been reduced to an ordinary structure as the facility has been starved of funding, Malawi News Sport can reveal.
Over the years, safety and security concerns have been raised yet authorities continue to ignore the facility.
Since the Confederation of African Football (Caf) banned the facility from hosting international games in 2022, there has not been any significant change or show of will power to do renovations to uplift the status of the venue.
For over two decades, the condition of the venue has been a huge concern, leading to a series of precautionary steps including reducing capacity by cordoning stands that are believed to be risky if packed to capacity.
From an estimated capacity of 45,000 fans, 30 years ago, to less than 20,000 spectators presently, the venue has now turned into an eyesore.
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Over the years, the ground has undergone a lot of assessment having been declared unfit due to its dilapidated state and poor sanitary conditions.
The only positive thing that has happened in recent times, is the replacement of the artificial turf.
Interestingly, different regimes have come and gone with all promising either to build a new stadium at the same place or construct another one in the commercial city. Two decades, four regimes have overseen the once upon-a-time national treasure turn into a neglected erection of craggy concrete with a basement of artificial turf.
From 2009 to present day, the country has had different regimes which promised to solve the matter but it turned out to be mere promises that are actually lies.
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Such political figures who served as ministers of Youth and Sports or related ministries include Alliance for Democracy (Aford) Enoch Chihana, Lucius Kanyumba, Henry Mussa, Grace Chiumia, Jafali Mussa and Simon Vuwa Kaunda whereas the likes of Ulemu Msungama, Richard Chimwendo Banda and Uchizi Mkandawire have served in recent years.
They all have one thing in common, promising Blantyre-based teams to improve the facility or construct a new one.
Then in 2019 former president Peter Mutharika promised to construct two stadiums, one each for the city’s rivals FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers.
The projects commenced in Zingwangwa and Soche townships but the current regime clarified that the programmes belonged to the government.
In the midst of this, it is the clubs and sponsors who are suffering, coughing out more resources.
Bullets Chief Executive Officer Albert Chigoga said they spend a lot of money playing games in Lilongwe.
“We spend close to K2 million playing at Kamuzu Stadium [in Blantyre]. To fulfil one fixture in Lilongwe, we spend over K8 million. Consequently, it costs a fortune to play one game in Lilongwe compared to Blantyre,” he said.
Chigoga said there was a need to have an international fully certified ground in the commercial city.
“The solution is to have another stadium of international standards in Blantyre. In the short term, the government needs to revisit recommendations from Caf and fix them decisively. Hopefully this can be the desired solution. As big as Blantyre city is, it is unthinkable to have no suitable stadium for high profile and international matches,” he said.
Wanderers Chief Executive Officer Panganeni Ndovi was yet to respond to our questionnaire as we went to press yesterday.
However, Wanderers National Supporters Chairperson Mervin Nkunika shared Chigoga’s statements.
“It is pitiful that Blantyre does not have a Caf certified ground. Teams should be travelling to play in Lilongwe as an alternative. In this case, teams are forced to play in Lilongwe and it is draining a lot of resources,” Nkunika said.
Similarly, Bullets National Supporters Committee Chairperson Stone Mwamadi, who doubles as Malawi’s Supporters leader, asked the government to look into the matter.
“During crucial games including cup finals and international matches, we need to play at our bases. We cannot be playing all international games in Lilongwe,” he said.
However, football analyst Parly Chinyama blamed supporters for the two teams before accusing politicians of lacking political will.
“Firstly, bear in mind that this problem was created by supporters of these clubs. There was a time when the government closed the stadium and wanted to demolish it but supporters from the two teams vehemently protested leading to further cordoning of the stands.
“Then politicians lack that bold statement to turn things around. They dance to supporters’ tune as such, they fail to make strong decisions. Honestly, Kamuzu Stadium is not fit to host even local high-profile matches,” Chinyama said.
However, there seems to be no solution in sight to fix the problem.
Ministry of Youth and Sports spokesperson Macmillan Mwale said their focus was on finishing the construction of Soche Stadium.
The ministry has not yet made any decisions on either of the two options [build a new one or renovate] as focus is to ensure that Blantyre has a good stadium and focus is on Soche Stadium for now,” he said.
Mwale claimed that the last assessment at Kamuzu Stadium happened two years ago.
However, he said the facility was allocated funding but did not get it due to other challenges.
“On funding, the facility was funded but payments were not done. However, the requests have been resubmitted for possible payment,” he said.
