Mzuzu City Council under attack, failing to manage stadium

The Mzuzu City Council (MCC) has come under heavy criticism for failing to maintain Mzuzu Stadium, which has overgrown grass, a bumpy and rough surface.

The pitch is in bad state, raising fears that the ground will not be certified fit to host TNM Super League games when the season kicks off next month.

Apparently, Football Association of Malawi (Fam) is expected to inspect stadia before the start of the season and if Mzuzu Stadium fails the test, then Moyale Barracks and Ekwendeni Hammers will be rendered homeless.

Malawi National Council of Sports Board Chairperson Sunduzwayo Madise, speaking at the end of the 21km Mzuzu City Half Marathon on Sunday, accused the council of failing to engage stakeholders to mobilise resources to facelift the facility.

“The current status of the facility is embarrassing to the government considering that it is the main venue of sports in the Northern Region.

“If they are having problems, they could have engaged us. Just like what we did with Bingu National Stadium, we could have helped. We are disappointed because they seem to be working in isolation. Besides the pitch, there is a need to fix the window panes and apply coat paint,” he said.

Similarly, Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire said the facility is not ready to host matches because of poor pitch conditions and lack of maintenance of the structure.

“This facility is under Mzuzu City Council management and we expect them to put in extra efforts to make sure that the pitch is in perfect condition,” he said.

In his reaction, MCC spokesperson Macdonald Gondwe said they will work jointly with the Sports Council and Ministry of Sports to improve the status of the stadium.

“This is a wakeup call. However, we will jointly work with stakeholders to improve the condition of the facility,” he said.

The 15,000 capacity was built in 1970.