Kasungu District Council says the construction of Santhe Stadium, located in the south-eastern part of the district, has not been abandoned, adding that it remains committed to ensuring the facility is completed and begins serving the community soon.

The development comes amid concerns from sports enthusiasts in the district who fear the project has been abandoned, having passed nearly a year since construction works stalled.

In 2021, Kasungu District Council, with financial support from the World Bank, through the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) programme, embarked on the Santhe Stadium project as part of efforts to promote sports development in the district.

Close to five years down the line, the project remains incomplete, as pitch works, stands and other key components are yet to take shape.

Council spokesperson, Wanangwa Tembo, told Zodiak Online on Wednesday that the delay is due to the nature of the GESD programme, under which funds are disbursed in phases, making it difficult for the project to be completed at once.

" The project has not been abandoned. It is progressing according to the phased funding structure under the GESD programme, and we remain committed to seeing it through to completion,” said Tembo.

He further added that the council is exploring alternative ways to speed up the process.

" We are hopeful that through the newly introduced K5 Billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF), whose allocation powers now rest with the people, the project can be fast-tracked if the community prioritises it in the upcoming budget," Tembo explained

Meanwhile, Chairperson for the District Football Association, Andrew Chisale, says having adequate sports facilities is key to promoting sports development in the district, and has since urged authorities not to allow the project to collapse.

"Sports infrastructure plays a critical role in nurturing talent and keeping young people engaged. Kasungu has 79 registered football teams, and all rely on Kasungu stadium, which is becoming overstretched.

"It is our appeal to the stakeholders to ensure that Santhe Stadium is completed for the benefit of the district," Chisale concluded.

Currently, Kasungu District has only one stadium, and once Santhe Stadium becomes operational, the district will have two sports facilities to support growing sporting activities.