By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
THE Kafue District Council (KDC) has sold the Matanda Stadium for K750,000 to a developer for the construction of a shopping mall.
Council secretary Aaron Kamalondo said in an interview yesterday that the facility, located in Kafue Town, was sold to the highest bidder, Saxon Game Ranching Limited after three companies pushed in their bids.
The stadium was home to various lower division clubs that also include FAZ Division One side, Kafue Celtics.
“Matanda Stadium is on a commercial plot, and each time there are games, there is a lot of congestion as it is very close to the road.
Apart from that, the stadium has been facing security problems and after receiving complaints from people, the council decided to look for an alternative place,” Kamalondo said.
He said the local authority had since acquired about three hectares of land at a cost of K360,000 to construct an ultra-modern sports facility that will also house basketball, tennis and badminton courts.
Kamalondo said the whole project that will commence next week, will cost about K3 million and is expected to be completed within 12 months.
He said clubs would continue to use Matanda stadium until the construction of the alternative facility is completed.
“The works on the new sports facility will be done by the Council and we have already moved on site ahead of the commencement of the works on Monday. Our target is that by August next year, we should be done with the pitch and changing rooms for teams to start using it.
We want to pave way for the new owners of the land housing Matanda stadium to their works also. Other things such as the terraces, fence and the tennis, basketball and badminton courts will be done in the due course,” he said.