Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Patricia Wiskes says government will not demolish Kamuzu Stadium, stressing that the facility carries historical significance and that constructing a new stadium would be costly.
She made the remarks on Monday in Blantyre during a familiarisation tour of sports facilities aimed at assessing grassroots development projects and engaging officials in the youth, sports and culture sectors.
Wiskes said government will prioritise renovation works so that the stadium can continue serving as an important sports venue.
“Kamuzu Stadium should be renovated. We should also keep in mind that the process of constructing BAT Stadium is underway, so we need to use Kamuzu Stadium as a short-term option. The good news is that the stadium will be used to host international sports activities,” she said.
She added that the ministry remains committed to providing policy direction and promoting the development of sports and culture, with particular focus on nurturing talent at community level and safeguarding artists’ rights.
“By investing in sports, youth and cultural development initiatives, we achieve crucial things: nurturing talent at an early stage and ensuring that cultural expression thrives across the country. I want to see all sports associations affiliated with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture being active,” she said.
During the tour, the minister visited Malawi National Council of Sports, Blantyre Cultural Centre, BAT Ground, Blantyre Sports Arena, and Bullets and Wanderers stadiums currently under construction.
Chief Executive Officer for Malawi National Council of Sports Henry Kamata welcomed the minister’s visit, saying it reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening the sports sector.
“One thing that I have picked from the minister is that she wants to deliver, so we are here to ensure that her vision is fulfilled. I would like to appeal to the whole sports fraternity in the country to provide full support towards uplifting sports,” Kamata said.
As part of the familiarisation visit, the minister also launched the Empowering Cultural Practitioners in Malawi for Enhanced Freedom of Expression project, being implemented by the Copyright Society of Malawi with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
