Mzuzu City Council sticks to stadium expansion plans
By Bernard Mhone:
Mzuzu City Council (MCC) has said its Mzuzu Stadium expansion plans from the current 15,000 to 25,000 remain intact despite the project’s failure to take off last year.
The project was scheduled for completion in five years.
MCC Chief Executive Officer, Macloud Kadam’manja, said the project failed to take off because potential donors turned down their proposals to bankroll the initiative.
Kadam’manja, however, said the project has not been shelved.
“We have resolved to uplift the facility in phases. We wrote proposals to various funding agencies but unfortunately, their responses have not been positive.
“Our plan was to do all we wanted within five years but the challenge has been funding. We are still determined to continue with the project. The ideal situation could have been to start with our own resources but the cash flow is not that good for us to go on that path,” he said.
For the project to see the light of day, the council is banking its hopes on improved locally generated revenue with support from Local Development Fund and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
Meanwhile, Kadam’manja has said the council is planning to install an artificial turf at the stadium, saying they have already engaged Football Association of Malawi (Fam) on the development.
Most TNM Super League teams have been complaining about the stadium’s bumpy surface which sees them failing to play a passing game.
But Fam President, Walter Nyamilandu Manda expressed ignorance on the matter.
“There has been no request from Mzuzu City Council. We are yet to be engaged on the development. But it is a good initiative because it is in line with our plans as football governing body to have good infrastructure for the betterment of football,” Nyamilandu said.
Last year, MCC released a budget of K500 million for expansion of the Northern Region’s oldest stadium.
The facility, which was built in 1970 by prisoners, is currently being used by Mzuzu-based top flight league sides Moyale Barracks and Mzuzu Warriors as their home ground.
Newly-promoted Ekwendeni Hammers could also find it convenient to name Mzuzu Stadium as their home ground as it is close to their base.
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