K9.4bn Olympic swimming pool causes stir
“We don’t want a swimming pool, we need a hospital.”
At a time Malawians are economically paralysed crashed, due to Covid 19, students dropping out due to lack of fees, potholes killing Malawians on daily basis in our, the government is spending over K9 billion for a swimming pool.
There is a high-pitched chorus of disapproval out there as people seem not to get the rationale of construction of a swimming pool another major referral hospital.
The Social Media influencer, reacting to the news of the new swimming pool, Idriss Ali Nassah sarcastically posted on his social media: “The father of a starving family borrows money to buy a large flat screen TV to impress the neighbours.
“The TV is high definition,” he says in his defence. “The picture quality is perfect”.
That father, ladies and gentlemen, is a moron.
Malawi Government decision to construct a K9.4 billion Olympic standard swimming pool has caused stir in social media space.”
“The Ministry of Sports has awarded a Chinese company a contract worth K 9.4 billion to construct the Olympic standard swimming pool and its ancillary structures at Kamuzu Institute of Sports.
According to a notification of intention to award contract that the ministry has flown, the works will be done by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.
However, some Malawians have taken up in various social media platforms to accuse the government of extravagance and having priorities upside down.
Many Malawians have rebuffed the government over the project.
“As always, our priorities are upside down. We don’t need a swimming pool, we need a hospital,” commented Bernadette Munthali.
But government apologists are defending the move saying the project is funded by the international development partners.
This comes as Malawi is slated to host the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games.
Sports Council Acting Executive Secretary, Henry Mereka is quoted by a local paper that the swimming pool was estimated at K20 billion.
However, online search engines show that cost of Olympic-size swimming pools is between $300,000 and $500,000 (K237 Million and K395 Million).
In the 2020/21 budget allocation, the Kamuzu Institute for Sports got the lion’s share of the ministry’s allocation after being allocated K1 billion for its rehabilitation works.
In total, the Ministry of Youth and Sports was allocated about K7 billion of the K2.2 trillion 2020/21 National Budget.
The allocation saw the Department of sports projects getting an allocation of K2.6 billion.
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So the Acting Executive Secretary of sports council just being yes bwana so that he should be confirmed.Mereka is cadet he wants sympathy from Govt
Shaaaa!!…a Malawi daily kumangoti chipatala chipatala…. deteriorating healthcare system as an excuse against great infrastructure development…
Tikanike kumanga the great interchange at area 18 , tikanike kumanga the nice Bingu stadium …..tikanike kumanga the Olympic standard swimming pool . ..tizingokhalira healthcare, healthcare , healthcare daily….mmmm…..
The project is great let the govt constuct it…brovo our leaders
Miss placed priorities.
This is the very same conduct we didn’t like with DPP.
Look at the state of our healthcare facilities, schools and welfare in general.
I don’t think citizens should allow this stupid project to happen.
aMalawi, we are on our own. These politicians are in for their own agenda and they are all the same. Disappointing.
All that money to build a swimming pool which will hardly be used and how about maintenance costs of this size of pool this has not been thought throughly
You should be building a decent hospital accessible to every Malawian from all walks of life not only for the rich
But nooo build swimming pool adyemo ntchito kuba basi
Every Ministry is given it’s own budget. Ngati a health sakufuna kumabgs zipatala sikuti a sports ndamene awamangire no. Chitukuko does not mean only constructing zipatala kapena masukulu no. There are so many hospitals where lazy workers never treat patients. This results in the society to see ngati ziptala nzochepa. Ziptala zambiri with lazy workers is nothing. Anthuso mumadabwitsa kwambiri. Late Mia said anufuna zipatala every 5km radius munkatakana. Let mukuti koma zipatala. Mungofuna ndalama miziba popanda zooneka basi. Mbuzi
This is a great project. They’re not just building a swimming pool but a sports and recreation facility. Currently the only firm of recreation in Lilongwe is drinking beer at Bwandilo and Matchandi. We need variety.
Infrastructure is not just roads and hospitals. In any case K9 billion is just 1 million dollars. What roads can that build you? That’s not even enough to buy Putin’s house. As someone said, this is a drop in the ocean when you consider the entire budget.
We need that sports complex and swimming pool. Other African countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana have such facilities that’s why they produce world class sportsmen. One Didier Drogba is worth more than £60 million in a single transfer deal. And here you are complaining about £1 million investment! We need to invest in world class facilities to nurture world class talent.
Such a facility can also generate millions of dollars by hosting international sporting events.
I like Idriss Nassah, but I dont think he an expert on Finance. Talk to Investment Analysts and they’re show you that this project has a high economic rate of return
If funding is donation then it is okay because the donor availed funds just for that Sports Swimming facility . Now where are local citizen contractors for the job. Does it mean 50 years after independence no MALAWIAN ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS available for such types of projects.
There is nothing wrong with that…..the funds comes from the donah the rule of the donn is to what they…we can hav thousands of medical infrastructure it means nothing if the,s medicine
The decision to build such a swimming pool, which will hardly be used is stupid and illogical. This is a gloss waste of money. Malawi has several critical infrastructure development needs (roads, hospitals, schools, etc). The mister of sports should be ashamed of his stupid priorities. If this project hasn’t started, it should be stopped.
You just have a small mind. This is a great investment that will generate billions in revenue and nurture talent while offering a healthy recreation option instead of youths drinking kachasu
Do we still want Malawi to look like a village? The Kamuzu Institute of Youth was neglected for almost 26 years and was a place where the youths around Kawale were spending time in sports. Yes there are priorities like roads, schools, hospitals and other things. We still have to make Malawi a better place for our children. The problem we will have is that after construction some other stupid leader will come and say it was a waste of money. This is what happened to the New State House. Bakili neglected it and made it Parliament. Thanks Bakili was replaced by an ambitious leader Bingu who save the State House and built Parliament at City Centre. The swimming pool at Kamuzu Institute of Youth is one way of reviving the facility and making Malawi “Great” again but consider the deadly and congested roads of Malawi. Consider the schools. Consider the hospitals and many other things. I can see the Chinese have won it. Do you that the Chinese employ very few Malawians and treat them badly as well. The salaries are very poor.
Are you sure you will prioritize a ‘how-much’ billion kwacha swimming pool over other essential services in the sectors of agriculture, health and education?
It’s not yet time for the swimming pool I guess, there’s alot to be done like medication in public hosps, road construction, bridges etc… How many people are going to use the swimming pool and how many do go to the hospitals?
That’s misplaced priorities SAD! SAD! SAD! even if I got an offer for a big TV screen today, I will tell the donor I am okay without one instead I want some help to upgrade my IT skills. If they can’t help I will wait for a skills oriented donor!
So what happens if they drowne? No high tech. Hospital to go to?
And if they want to visit Salima, the pot holes are waiting to take them UPSTAIRS ………… oh my word !!!!!🤔🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ndinu opwalala oganiza mopepera. Mukuona ngati just concentrating on agriculture ,health and eduacation dziko likwera Neve. Other investments are equally important. Let the responsible departments construct what they planned. If health department planned nothing basi vuto ndilawo longokonda kudya allowances at the expense of constructions. Dzipatala munenadxoso kuli corruption yokhayokha. Zaziii
Ndikanakhala ine Chakwera uyu akanakhala nduna yoyambirira ku chotsedwa. Kutereko iye posankha ali ndasankha modzigomera. Mmmm boma ili a Malawi azanga tinangosankha poti tinasowa pogwira. Kuganiza kwa nduna kumeneku. Chipindulirila a Malawi angati anthu akumudzi. Dziko langa mayo ine, mtundu wanga mayo ine. Ulibe mtsogoleri/ atsogoleri anzeru.
I think most of this criticism is out of our poverty mindset. Surely the government’s responsibility is not limited to building hospitals and roads. The national budget provides for various services for the welfare of citizens, including sports. The K9.4bn is just 0.004% of our 2020/2021 national budget. Why are people not talking about the remaining 99.006% of the budget? Tidzingokhalira kupita kuchipatala kodi? Mwatani a malawi anzanga? Do people even pause to consider why there is so much sickness? It’s because there is so much gloom and negativity. Folks, please there is more to life than roads and hospitals, okay? Kudos to the government for this wonderful project, it will transform the area where this piece of infrastructure will be located, besides putting Malawi on the global sporting map. Misewu ndi zipatalazo boma limanga, ndalama zake zilipo, K9.4bn ndi ya Olympic swimming pool and ancilliary structures. Zikomo
And they are the same people forwarding photos of Magafuli’s development in Tanzania. We just mourn about anything. Convert the money to US $ it is nothing.
This is a great project. All sectors are important in the development of Malawi. Sports development should not suffer just because the Ministry of Education is failing to build schools. This project will create jobs, money for the country, health and wellness in people. Only short sighted people can’t see the benefit of this project. It is time to think big as Malawians.
As someone who has lived outside this country, and well exposed for that matter, I support this project.
Joke of the century.
Let me conclude this matter this way, and I should proceed to have drinks, zopusa zikuchitikazi ndimakana thats why I am going to drink now. Malawians today, unless kale, have been fully informed how our tax payers money is being swindled through bribes, corruption, fraud and uthakati. Malawians now know that these politicians, no one is spared by my use of politicians, everyone who is a politician, and all officials in top or managerial positions in the MDA’s have taken it as a route and are stealing from Malawians through these questionable and inflated infrastructure projects like this one. Soon enough muona anthu ambiri in these positions will over a night become millionaires and billionaires. Muzaona ndipo mukhulupilila. Government will make sure they provide information to at least a number of contractors and secure illicit agreements to defraud Malawians. They choose porous and corrupt contractors (Ma Chinese nde amazikonda zimenezi, samaseweletsa kugawa ndalama kwa zitsilu zokonda ndalama ngati zathuzi, just like the Indians do akaona agalu adovu ndi mafupa). Olympic stadium mpaka 10 billion? Dziko lomvetsa chisoni. Ndalila.
Beggers Belief!
This is why the North should seriously consider breaking away and doing its own business. Its people are continuing to pay hard earned Kwacha into development that has since eluded its borders. How can any President justify this to all Northerners?
Enough is enough!
Ridiculous, Crude, Unreasonable, Cruel, Unthinkable, Careless, Witchcraft, Unwise, Babaric, Unchristian ,
Why can’t you build hospitals or finish mombela?
When time comes hope someone will not be answererable in our mighty courts. What do the conflicting prices mean??? Bwinotu bwino
Absolute joke of a country. Our public transport infrastructure is in shambles. Electricity generation and distribution is broken. Water supply is in tatters. Healthcare is struggling. Our education system is actually collapsing. Etc Etc Etc. But just like that useless Bingu stadium and Confecence Centre, our politicians waste our tax money on vanity projects. This country’s leadership sickens me; not only are they corrupt, they are terminally incompetent.
Musanene za stadium amwene nena izi boma lanu likupanga
What will this benefit the poor person facing hunger in Utale Balaka where they have not harvested anything and have no clue where their next meal will come for. Wake up and get real. We have real issues to deal with as a country. Let us increase the productivity of our country first. The problem is we want to consume, yet we do not produce adequate resources.
The fact that Malawi is struggling economically should not be reason for it to deny itself some good developments that are well funded by some international donors. Same as in your family, the fact that you are struggling, shiuld not be reason for you to deny yourself some good developments
Mkadet ad
Things are not adding up here.Why the same Chinese company
Kkkkkkkkkkkkk unfortunately pipo are busy with 9.4bn.
Go and check what that money is going to be used .it’s not only a 120million swimming check dont criticize what you don’t have full info, khadetsi
A beggar has no choice,umakhala ulibe chakudya kunyumba koma kufika utaledzera,a Malawi zopempha zomwezi mpaka mwaziganizira ma budget Anu?Umphawi kupasa utsiru
So you mean we shouldnt have a say on this coz we don’t own the money ?
Can someone come and build an alter in your house without asking for your suggestions and permission? Really. Simply coz they have cash!!!?
If that’s the path we will continue to peddle, by the end of the term,some ministries won’t show anything they have done. Everything you want it to be done ku ministry of health and education. Point to projects within the ministries if misplaced not everything to B&C. You can stay for years without being sick if you follow preventive & control measures
Countries develop better with dictators. Just on infrastractural developments like these, be a dictator Mr. President. We can’t be preparing for diseases and deaths by concentrating on hospitals. It’s time for the country to develop so yes, let’s sleep on an empty stomach today and have abundance tomorrow. My only concern is that the money is going to China. Giving the project to an indigenous Contractor would have been a big boost
Very good
hehehe this is not dictatorship for a good cause but stupidity my friend kodi chilichonse muziombela mmanja ati kupusa ati
I agree with you.Some pipo think like a he goat. We have a hospital at least in every district, are they not enough? By the way du know that the existing hospitals that we have leaves alot to be desired. The std of care is poor! From a H/C to a Central hospital everything is poor! except maybe the workers. Mr President go a head with the swimming pool project. some malawian enjoy making unnecessary noise don’t listen to them.
Does the benefit justify the cost? In a country of dire more urgent need? It doesn’t matter who is paying. What madness!