Venues for staging performances have been a challenge for the creative sector with a few being able to accommodate all the disciplines.
Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) formerly French Cultural Centre remains one of the top entertainment mecca’s in the country accommodating all artistic disciplines.
In its good state, BCC has played host to both local and international performances including Mali’s Salif Keita, Jamaica’s Mutabaruka and Ivory Coast’s Dobet Gnahore.
But the entertainment mecca which is well-positioned in the commercial city has remained in a pathetic state with renovations delaying since it was ransacked by thieves in 2011.
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The government bought BCC at K300 million from the French government before it was ransacked.
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Ministers have visited the centre but BCC remains in its sorry state in 2025.
Last year Vice President Michael Usi invaded the familiar arena that shaped his artistic career, visiting BCC where he lamented the delays in its rehabilitation.
His visit to BCC came barely two weeks after he engaged creatives.
He called on relevant authorities to get their act together and complete renovations soonest with Director of Buildings Sam Ngoma assuring him that by October, the works would be finalised.
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“So this means it will be ready by 23 October, 2024? Please sign here,” Usi told Ngoma last year.
Ngoma said later in an interview that construction is a process and that with a healthy cash flow the works would be completed as indicated.
“The delays are happening in all construction projects and so it is not easy. But all things being equal with funds and processes being smooth, it will work by October,” he said.
In 2023, Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda also visited BCC where he ordered the contractor – Opco Limited to finish off the works.
But now in 2025, the script is still the same with the creative sector looking ahead to BCC’s reopening.
And last year some artists, while welcoming the Vice President’s visit to the centre felt it would yield nothing since it is the same old tune.
“Several visits have been made to the centre with orders and ultimatums but nothing has been implemented. As a country, we need to change this narrative of just talking without any implementation, what we want as artists now is for the centre to open,” an artist, who did not want to be named, said.
A taskforce was initiated by some artists with the aim of lobbying for the reopening of the centre as soon as possible by engaging relevant players saying they were tired of the delays.
Director of Arts in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Humphrey Mpondaminga, said delays have come about due to changes that have come up including revisiting of the design for the Amphitheatre.
“We are equally worried as a Department that the rehabilitation is taking long, we have been pushing for documents but procedures have to be followed and we cannot bypass the process,” Mpondaminga told Arts and Culture last year.
He added that there were instructions to revisit the design of the Amphitheatre to improve capacity so as to have an elegant structure that matches international standards.
“In summary, we are waiting for proper documentation because costs were adjusted and once everything is set, the contractor can start work immediately,” Mpondaminga said.
Opco Limited said later that they were ready to resume the works once everything was in black and white having made changes to their budget due to cost implications.
The rehabilitations have since started but it is not clear as to whether BCC will open this year.
“The works have started after getting clearances on the new contract terms as submitted,” Mpondaminga said.
On when the works will finish, Mpondaminga said as discussed with the contractor, the works are expected to take close to 16 weeks.
“This is the rehabilitation of the open theatre. The extension for the theatre and other remaining works are being handled separately,” he said.
Opco Limited, the contractor doing the renovations at the once mighty entertainment mecca, confirmed it had resumed the works but could not be drawn to say when they will finish the project.
This project is surely long overdue and it is the hope of the creative sector that the centre will this year reopen.
During a press conference in Blantyre recently, organisers of the Easter Theatre Festival which this year will be held in April, indicated that they were targeting BCC to hold their event.
“I just pray that the works should be finalised by in good time so that we can be able to hold the festival there. We are in touch with the authorities,” Festival coordinator McArthur Matukuta, who is also Solomonic Peacocks Director, said.
