Members of Parliament (MPs) Tuesday took to task Minister of Sports and Culture, Grace Chiumia, over dwindling funding to sports, including the Flames and Malawi netball Queens.
The minister endured an hour of queries from the MPs as they were scrutinising K2.1 billion allocation to the ministry.
Among others, the MPs sought the minister’s explanation on funding to the Flames and the Queens through Football Association of Malawi (Fam) and Netball Association of Malawi (Nam), respectively.
“Funding to the Malawi National Football Team is under the Malawi National Council of Sports,” Chiumia said, claiming that the Flames and the Queens were well-funded.
However, the MPs challenged the minister’s remarks, saying K34 million each allocated to Fam and Nam for both teams’ assignments was inadequate.
“I am saying that as government, we have taken care of allocations to the national teams, but it depends on how they will utilise the money. Utilisation of the money is an issue for Nam and Fam,” Chiumia insisted.
Another MP wanted to find out if government had plans to hire an expatriate football coach.
Chiumia replied: “Ernest Mtawali is still Malawi National Football Team coach. We are not ready to hire an expatriate coach.”
Reports suggest that Fam technical sub-committee has recommended against extending Mtawali’s contract which expires in August. However, Fam insist that the executive has not decided on the recommendations.
During the scrutiny of the budget, Chiumia also said government has allocated K841 million for the completion of Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
“We would like to see to it that Bingu National Stadium is completed. An amount of K841 million has been allocated for the exercise,” Chiumia said.
She was responding to a question from Lilongwe Msozi South MP Vitus Dzoole Mwale, seeking an explanation on the progress of the stadium.
Major works were completed late last year, but government has not yet opened the facility while awaiting installation of high-voltage power lines, floodlights and sewerage system.
Some MPs also sought answers from the ministry on other sports facilities.
Lilongwe North East MP, Maxwell Thyolera, asked the minister on the renovations of Kamuzu Stadium.
He also queried government’s lack of seriousness on Kamuzu Institute for Sports.
The minister said although renovations were being made at Kamuzu Stadium, the priority is on building a new stadium in Blantyre.
“Our plan is to build a new stadium. The president has been saying that. Demolishing the stadium might be more costly. It is better just to construct a new stadium,” Chiumia said.
On the condition of Kamuzu Institute for Sports, Chiumia blamed the mentality of people around the facility in protesting against its proposed use by Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Some departments need to raise funds. Luanar wanted to use the facility. But people protested. We tried to talk to them but nothing came out of the talks. The initiative failed. That was very unfortunate,” Chiumia said.
After an hour scrutinising the vote, the MPs eventually passed the K2.1 billion allocation to the ministry.
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