Malawi national stadium project 80% complete: China-funded
- To have CCTV system, 56 corporate lounges
- No provision for electronic ticketing
Construction project for the 40,050-seater Chinese-funded stadium being built in the capital city, Lilongwe is nearing completion with almost 80 percent of the construction work complete but despite concerns from sports experts on the ticketing system used at other stadiums during local and international football matches, there is no provision for electronic ticketing system at the new facility.
The stadium, which is earmarked for completion in November, will be called Bingu National Stadium in honour of the fallen leader Bngu wa Mutharika who initiated the construction of the stadium.
A recent visit by Nyasa Times at the construction side revealed the stadium is now taking shape with some of the stadium facilities already completed.
Ministry of Lands and Housing Chief Architect Knight Munthali told Nyasa Times in an exclusive interview at the construction site that 80 percent of the main stadium project was complete with 75 percent of construction works for the upper stadium finished.
“There is quite good progress and the project is set to finish according to schedule. Currently, they (contractors) are forming the ground and very soon we will be getting special grass, which is drought-resistant and non-slippery from South Africa,” said Munthali.
He said only the main playing field will be covered by the drought-resistant, non-slippery grass from South Africa while the mini/upper stadium will wear locally sourced drought-resistant grass.
“There will be an Olympic standard synthetic running track around the pitch,” said the government Chief Architect.
According to spot checks by Nyasa Times, most of the facilities situated in the western side of the stadium are in completion stage.These include the VVIP, VIP, covered and open stands, press briefing/banquet halls, press (commentary) gallery, dressing rooms, family/corporate lounges, toilets and the rooftop.
Despite the presence of state-of-the-art facilities at the stadium, there will be no provision of an electronic ticketing system at the Bingu National Stadium.
Chief Sports Officer in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Joseph Kayamba confirmed there will be no gadgets for electronic ticketing.
“That was not provided for in the contract between Malawi government and the Chinese contractor. It will be up to the Ministry of Sports to identify a company that can do the installation of electronic ticketing gadgets but that has not been discussed as at now,” said Kayamba.
Kayamba, however, disclosed that the new stadium will have a Closed Circuit TV system (CCTV) which will, amongst others be used to track-down hoodlums during soccer matches or other sporting/social events.
The stadium will also have a power generator to be used during electricity blackouts and modern fire fighting equipment, which will automatically function in cases of fire accidents.
There will also be a gym but the Sports Ministry will shoulder the responsibility of buying equipment or the gym.
The Ministry, said Kayamba, will also take responsibility to buy furniture including sofa sets to be fitted in the 56 family/corporate lounges, where families or sponsored groups will have the luxury of watching live matches or other events in private environments.
The 29-month national stadium project started on July 1, 2013 and is set to be completed on November 30, 2015.
The $70 million (K26.6 billion) stadium is being built with funding from the Chinese government.
Once completed, 85 percent of the stadium will have covered stands with in-built floodlights.
The stadium was previously moved to Blantyre by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under the leadership of late Mutharika but later Joyce Banda who took over the leadership following Mutharika’s sudden death relocated it back to Lilongwe.
She laid a foundation stone marking the beginning of the construction of the stadium on 11th July, 2012.
Under the terms of the agreement, China will provide a concessional loan for the stadium to be repaid in 20 years.
Malawi’s two existing stadiums have both been condemned as unfit for purpose by the Confederation of Africa Football and Fifa.
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This stadium will be similar to the one built in Ndola, Zambia and am sure it will be motivational enough for both the National Team and the fans.Good development.Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what do u think abov the name,shud we realy co it Bingu
Chi stadium cha boo umu mwina ma prayers athu azizazoleweramo kt akapita kuja asamakataye tym ndikuyang’ana ma buiding a stadium
Kudandaula basi, what is important to have a good looking facility and a gadgets of tickets? Can Malawi not afford to install the gadgets? Zinazi timangokamba which hold not mauch water. I for one even if tikukhala mwa mantha kujoni am happy that the government of China has put Malawi on the map – we must source more funding of this type for other regions easy and straight forward. We might host the Olympic games soon, which is part of development.
Good development I hope the Malawi government will put in measures to maintain the stadium. I’m sure operation cost will be high. Building is one thing but maintaining is essential.
zili bwino
LILONGWE NDI 1 MUSOVA EMANUEL.
Good developers and climinals.Ivory,Tsanya and Phingo is going without permission.Are Malawians gain or lose?
Iwe 12 can’t you read in the story that here will be a power generator at the stadium that will be switching automatically when there is a power black out. I think you people don’t understand the author when he says there is no provision for electronic ticketing. With electronic ticketing, people just slot in their tickets on computerised gadgets mounted at the entry gates and the gadgets automatically open for one to get in. Without such computerised gadgets it means people will be standing in each gate receiving money or checking tickets manually before someone gets in. If you go to Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, Anfield, Camp Now or elsewhere in Europe, you will not have your e-ticket checked by an individual at the gate. E-ticketing reduces corruption or fraud because you cannot connive with the machine. The machine can also easily detect fake tickets. Government would have thought of this at the onset and include this in the contract.
APM please build another new stadium in Mzuzu the present one is NOT a stadium but “Mzuzu Football pitch”
This is similar to the one in Zambia. Chinese in Africa!
A world class stadium we should have built 3 stadia in the country one in each province but not to be because of lack of visionary leadership let’s hope its awake up call to build more stadia or develop the old ones!
aaaasaa! my bloved mw,wen wl u wake up?
umbuli pa mw,this is monopoly,y nt cal it somethng else?we cant dvlop wth such mindset
How about if it were a Malawian construction company? Thinking out loud
Zaziiiiiiiiii
Just name it Chentukanika Stadium in order to respect me or if you like.BINJOY in order to respect Bingu.the initiater and Joyce for moving it from Bt to LL and implementing the project.Please never accept Nyerere to meet Silver if you want it to last longer.BB 2 Bankers 1.
Import grass from South Africa? This educated and civilised country import grass from barbaric and backward South Africa
BINGU NATIONAL STADIUM. NOT JB NATIONAL STADIUM
Docile nation. You boycott South African goods and take Chinese handouts.
I’m proud now and am feeling ok,to my country what is doing to building beautfu stadium. Thanx to our gorvement of malawi for a good vision to all the malawias we are very happy.
you tell me we have no architects with brains to design a stadium. this is a carbon copy of levy mwanawasa stadium in ndola zambia
Asakufuna azikakhala ku Northern Region. This is Bingu wa Mutharika National Stadium. Zanu izo ife tachita kale zimenezo
“The vision of the fore seers” Rest in peace father
alomwe nonse mukadzafa after xenophibia tidzasitha dzina la stadium to fit that of the owners who are Malawians and not you lomwes.
what is wrong witht the name bingu national stadium? go to zambia, they have a stadium like this one named after levi mwanawasa.
Just wait and see. The hooligans will soon be trying to break the giant screen after their team loses a match.
Masterpiece.
Am happy for the only big stadium tachita kuti tukutuku thank God may be our prayers can start praying night games
Am happy for the only big stadium tachita kuti tukutuku thank God may be our prayers can praying night games
While most African countries are planing to boycott south African goods after xenophobic attacks
we’re planning to buy glass from the same country
Malawi sadzatheka basi!
Mwalowetsa chitukuko ndi ndale mmalo moti ingokhala Lilongwe stadium nde mwati Bingu stadium nanga akazalowa enawo nde azakhalandani atamanga manyumba aatali atali ingokhala basi Lilongwe stadium tikunyadilani chifukwa zabwino kwabasi
Soccer fanz should take a responsibility to protect the stadium and abandon the destructive mindset .
Call it whatever but not some politicians.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY CHINA IS BECOMING MORE POPULAR .THEIR AID REALLY IMPACTS THE BENEFICIARIES .THE CHINESE HAVE THINGS TO SHOW US THAN MOST DONORS WHO FUNDS PROJECTS WITHOUT IMPACTING THE BENEFICIARIES.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE CHINESE IS THAT AFTER LOOKING AT THE LOOPHOLES AND CORRUPTION AT CAPITAL HILL THEY DECIDED TO BUILD THE STRUCTURES THEMSELVES WHILST OTHER DONORS DESPITE KNOWING THESE LOOPHOLES ARE STILL PUMPING FUNDS INTO THIS CORRUPT SYSTEM .THUMBS UP TO THE CHINESE AND KEEP ON DOING THE JOB ON YOUR OWN.THIS SHOULD SERVE AS A LESSON TO OTHER DONORS.
please change the name to lilongwe national stadium. forget politics that stole this country to thebone
stadium ikulirenj kumangira nyau…gule kwawo….wait abit w southerners ll try our level best that in 5 yrs tym ll ve the morden one wit electronic ticketing….
mukambirana
Tamangani stadium ku mpoto guys
50 years pschabe ?,
Feudalism ibweredi mwe !!!
No 5. You are not telling the truth. Ask those who do the job of gate collections. Games in Lilongwe fetch more than Blantyre.
SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE, THE CHINESE ARE GIVING US A GIFT, THEY HAVE FULLY FUNDED A STADIUM WHICH THEY ARE CONSTRUCTING FOR BUT, BUT IT IS SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE THE TICKETING SYSTEM BECAUSE IT IS ” NOT IN THE CONTRACT”, IM NOW THINKING IS IT A CONTRACT,…A CONTRACT IS A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT FOR BASTARD A TO PROVIDE BASTARD B WITH BLA BLA BLA AND VICE VERSA WITHIN SET PARAMETRES …ALWAYS SUSPECTED THERES MORE TO CHINESE AID THAT WE ACTUALLY SEE OR KNOW.
A Mutuki Saweluzika welengani bwino nkhaniyi. Akuti funding yi si yaulele koma ndingongole yozapelekedwa kwa zaka 20. Ndipo Pa budget yawo yaomangawo panalibe ndondomeko yoti azamangenso electronic Ticketing compatiment nkuona akuti a boma amange okha. Osangothokoza bwanji? Amalawi tilibe pabwino.
why have open (uncovered stands) nanga mvula?
Amalawi mukufunsa kuti why open stands mvula bwanji? Simunawelenge kuti akuti 85% is covered meaning kamalo kakang’ono ndi kamene kali open. Why not apreciate the gud work done. Munali nayo ku Malawi stadium ya 85% covered. Shame.
Chifukwa chomwe amai analuzira ndichimenechi akanayisiya ku Bt akanakhala no 2 chatsika no 3
Great achievement!
I will not forget JB. for bringing back the stadium to the centre of Malawi. Nanga ide a ku mpoto tikanatha ngati kubwera ku south. Bravo JB. despite other wrong things
Takunyadirani amayi JB pobweresa stadium ku LL
Mr president peter bring us a new stadium in the south please
Oh no! And the grass is coming from Xenophobic South Africa. Please cancel that order. Order it from elsewhere asp!
A ku Blantyre, ngati mukuifunabe stadium yanuyi mutha kuitenganso mukaikhazike kwanu konko
Bingu never initiated the construction of this stadium, where do you get this false information. China is building stadiums right across African not just in Malawi.
In 2019 DPP dont come and cheat people that you built the Stadium. This is China funded and built Stadium. DPP build your own stadiums
Thank you Amai Mulungu azikudalitsani pobwerezeretsa Stadium kuno ku Capital city kwabata ndi mtendere kopanda anthu akuba ndalama zapa gate .chokhacho ine ndi amai khekhe khekhe ndipo tilidziwa kuti mukabwera 2019 niyi mudzatimangira mseu wa MALOMO -NTCHISI .Amai tikuthokozani kwambiri.kudali tachina Songazaudzu umangovomera zili zonse .
Big up MAMA JOICE BANDA dzinali osadanda khalekhaleni lizasinthidwa ine apa the! Cheke cheke twaa!
bola idakakhala lilongwe stadium not nyasi mwayikazo
bola idakakhala lilongwe stadium not bingu stadium
Kupepela basi. No need for electronic ticketing at the stadium. Tickets should be bought a few days before the game like what they do in many countries. People should just go to the stadium and enter. This will avoid long queues.
Secondly, electricity is eratic in Malawi. Loading shed happens everyday. You know what would if there is load shedding on the day of the match.
Just get another loan from China and build a similar stadium.
Can government pull down Mzuzu Stadium and build a modern one?
Swale, that is sick thinking. we need sports facilities to spread to all the regions. This will promote sports development. Be progressive! Umbuli basi!
Why calling it Bingu? adictator who wanted it to be built in Blantyre?Thumb up masten for bringing it back to the capital……….Much better if it would hav been called Bwaila,Lingadzi,Lilongwe,Chitukula or even Mtandire.
In Blantyre or in Lilongwe it doesnt matter what matters is we have a Stadium in Malawi period
Thanks JB for honouring capital city with such beautiful stadium .I promise never to forget u and for Republic of China i thank u for construction of the building otherwise if we were given money we could not make it
I wish it was in blantyre because wether one agrees or not, that is where soccer is most appreciated in the country. It is the heartbeat of the game.
koma jb munaitha kubweresa stadium ku lilongwe as previously planned.amayi mukanabwera msanga kulamula bwenzi mutabwezerezanso MUST university ku LL. i love u jb and miss u too
capital city ndiye imeneyi man. palibenso zolandana ma stadium apa. thanks joyce
musangotchula dzina ikaninso cctv
Chokhacho nchomwe ndidawakondera amai aja. Pobwezeretsa stadium kwake kwa poyamba. Zadzina tilibe nazo ntchito or mukadati Nankhumwa stadium or Pulofesa or chani bola idabwera kwathu ko Chitukula