FCB Nyasa Bullets, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers stadia allocated K1 billion

Homeless domestic football powerhouses FCB Nyasa Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers can breathe a sigh of relief after the government allocated K1 billion for the continuation of the two stadiums.

This is contained in the 2023-24 National Budget pegged at K3.87 trillion which Minister of Finance Sosten Gwengwe presented in Parliament on Thursday.

However, the K1 billion is considered as a drop in the ocean amid rising cost of commodities.

This is the first time the two stadiums have been allocated funds since 2020.

According to the document, which Malawi News Sport has seen, the Ministry has been told to plan for its activities within the K10 billion this year.

Out of the K10 billion, a total of K8.4 billion is for development of sports infrastructures.

Kamuzu Institute for Sports (Kis) has been allocated K2.5 billion for reconstruction whereas K2.6 billion is for Region 5 Youth Games infrastructure development.

The allocation of funds in the proposed budget for the stadia vindicates Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire’s comments that the facilities would be completed this year.

However, Mkandawire was not readily available for his comment Friday.

Director of Sports in the ministry Jameson Ndalama said the project will continue.

“As ministry, we are very happy that money has been allocated for the project,” he said in a brief response.

Construction of Bullets and Wanderers stadiums started in 2020 but the project stalled due to lack of funds.

Wanderers stadium which is being constructed in Soche, is about 75 percent to be completed whereas about 50 percent of work has been done on Bullets Stadium in Zingwangwa.

Bullets Chief Administration Officer Albert Chigoga said the allocation is a sign that the project will be completed.

“This confirms what the Minister (Mkandawire) mentioned way before the presentation of the National Budget. We are very happy as a club,” Chigoga said.

Wanderers chairperson Clement Stambuli, who is also the spokesperson of the club, was not available Friday.

China Civil Engineering Construction Company emerged successful bidders for Bullets Stadium whereas Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Company, which constructed Bingu National Stadium, is constructing Wanderers Stadium.

Sports analyst Parry Chinyama hailed the government for allocating some funds.

“This is positive news and we hope the allocation will make a big difference,” he said.

The two Blantyre giants have been homeless for over 50 years and they use government-owned Kamuzu Stadium.

In addition, they do not have their own training ground.

Parliament approved K1.6 billion in the 2019-20 National Budget but then the project was estimated to cost K6 billion.