Mainland Premier League champions –Young Africans’ plans to construct a new stadium close to their club house in Dar es Salaam, has failed to take off because of what the club officials said bureaucracy from the city fathers to allocate them with more piece of land for the project.
Kaunda Stadium
The proposed construction plan was set to start in June this year, but three months down the line nothing is happening. The club complained that the city authorities was refusing to hand over to Yanga an additional piece of land, despite preparatory work starting on a massive new Kaunda project funded by the club and their an unnamed sponsors.
November last year, Yanga signed an initial agreement with Chinese firm, Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) for the construction of the former Kaunda Stadium– constructed in early 70s and used for training only.
It was announced by the club officials that the new stadium will have a capacity to accommodate 40,000 spectators and will be the second biggest in the country after the government-owned National Stadium also located in the city.
Apart from the main stadium, other facilities will include a player’s hostel and youth football academy, training ground, spacious car packing, hotels and apartments, meetings halls, sections for offices, banks, sports clinic, shops, supermarket cinema halls and recreational and open spaces.
The club expects that once this project is completed, this area will be called “Jangwani City” and allow the residents of the Jangwani areas and the vicinity to have access to basic social services.
One of the club’s member of trustees, Francis Kifukwe said during a press conference at the club headquarters yesterday that their attempt to get a piece of land from the Ilala Municipality for the project to take off has so far failed, despite repeated requests to the authorities.
Kifukwe, who is the former club President, was flanked by General Secretary, Lawrence Mwalusako and a member of Elders Council, Jabir Katundu complained that there have been unnecessary delays from the Ilala Municipality and ministry to respond to their request.
“In order to achieve our plans of setting up ‘Jangwani City’ that will have the best sporting infrastructure around the country, the club’s leadership had put in an application for an additional piece of land from Ilala Municipality and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development with reference number YASC/ARDHI/MWK/YM/46 / 2012 and YASC/ARDHI/MWK/YM/47/2012 of December 12, 2012, but no response has been made to-date,” he said.
He said in July this year, the club’s leadership and board of trustees wrote to the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Said Meck Sadiki to request for his assistance but still nothing tangible has come about.
“We’re still waiting for an answer but at the moment, our plans are still intact and we are really ambitious to transforming this area to a unique sporting village,” said Kifukwe.
To achieve the dream of setting up the imposing venue, Yanga was required to secure an additional piece of land, get qualified consultant, good drawings and competent constructors for the project as well as to set aside funds to complete designs and construction of the project
Kifukwe said, in terms of their role, BCEG have expertise and experience. He said BCEG have already prepared and handed over the original design drawings to meet the club’s requirements.
Source Tanzania Daily News
