Sports and Youth Development Minister Chishimba Kambwili has with immediate effect banned the hosting of private functions such as weddings and Kitchen parties at the ultra modern Olympic Youth Development Centre.
Mr Kambwili told Journalists that the OYDC was created to stage sports tournaments and festivals and not weddings and Kitchen parties.
He said his office has received a number of complaints from sports associations who are being turned away by management that they are fully booked.
“Just now the Handball Association of Zambia came to complain that they are never hosted at OYDC. Management somehow always has an excise. The entire place is always fully booked with weddings and Kitchen parties. From now on, I don’t want to hear of weddings at OYDC,” Mr Kambwili said.
He said Government will not allow the facility to continue hosting events for which it was not intended.
“Zambia needs to have a busy OYDC for us to produce world champions in athletics and other sports but we am afraid we will not if this mentality of frustrating noble initiatives continued.”
Mr Kambwili said the Zambian Government and the International Olympic Committee spent a lot of money to put up OYDC hence the need to efficiently utilize the facility.
I agree. There are so many venues in Lusaka for such events let the OYDC serve it’s intended purpose.
Just the out-break of weddings in Zambia is so annoying.
Zambia can win in sex tournaments. How many high school pupils have we read of falling pregnant, instead of being absent because of injuries from running or boxing?
Nostrafimofimo keep your hands off the keyboard when you have nothing sensible to say.
This is the first time in a generation that a politician in govt has spoken sense. Well done Hon Chishimba Kambwili.
But isnt the facility getting revenue from those weddings?
This chap has makings of a good politician if only he toned down his cadreism.I must admit his presence occasionally irritates me for obvious reasons-his senseless outbursts. For the first time perhaps since coming to power, Kambwili has put out a sensible statement. Continue, I might soften towards you. Well said bwana minister.
Weddings is also a sport. After the ceremony, they go & do jiggy-jiggy which can make the heart beat faster than those handball players. I’m just saying ;- {
For once i support mr ‘BRING BACK MY NECK’ lol
Among other things OYDC must raise funds to operate. The govt is not fully funding the center with grants. Whats wrong with this hyna. The full is an empty noise maker like sata.
Awe ba ZP, the Minister is right on this issue. Lets give credit where it’s due and not always antagonizing.
Well spoken minister
Nothing wise comes out of this man…when we tell you that this man is a waste of space and an empty tin you think its an insult.
This is good. Last year, Kitwe little theatre was booked out, not by plays, but kitchen parties every Saturday, sometimes Sundays, for a good part of the year. Same with Chingola Arts.
I think Kambwili is on the right track here, as a die hard supporter of H.E M. C Sata, I personally do not like all his ministers but here Kambwili is speaking sense. Actions speak louder than words bamashina I hope you will follow this through. Many other civil servants and even PF members are actually frustrating govt programmes, what has happened in Kitwe is as a result of some civil servants trying to frustrate development and the govt, we need to identify these rotten apples.
Yes. It is not just weddings and kitchen parties but religious festivals also! I have seen countless pentecostal likes church gatherings at the place and wondered where the sporting objective had been thrown to …
The ‘Fat Neck’ measure taken will bring some relief. The ministry should also show how they fund OYDC and the sustainability plan …
ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. THEY ARE A NUISANCE. THEY ARE USING IT FOR FUNDRAISING. BAN THEM ALL.
For once I have supported a PF Minister. This venue is being turned into a miracle centre by Pentecostal Churches. People should build halls and churches instead of turning the OYDC into a mega miracle centre. Thumbs up on this one. But dont think I have now started supporting PF. I’ll never! I’ll always vote against them.
I agree that priority should be given to sports activities at the center, however, we havent been told what the money raised from private functions is used for. Maybe its used to maintain the facility given that the government has no money for maintenance and repair of equipment. I hope the minister consulted the stakeholders before making such a decision.
How many tournaments do you have in year on the calendar?
What is wrong with this Minister? Does he understand what Marketing is? Sports Arena should a Multi purpose function place. There is no wrong in Hosting other Events. What Management Need to do is draw a good calendar to avoid crashes. Let the OYDC remain a multi-functional place before it turns into a White elephant.
You are correct, a calendar is what they need. When sports are not taking place the OYDC could be utilised for other events and make money.
So how is this venue going to balance its books…outright ban by BUFFOON Kambwili is just folly….can’t they just prioritise the games on the calendar.
Put proper managers to run these places not cadres.
Mbwili is correct except, the arena could be used for such other activities especially if there are no sports within that day/week/month. They need to make money otherwise for mentainance purposes etc., especially that funding is erratic from GRZ.
Secondly please bloggers, STOP belittling the minister and please leave his NECK alone. He was born like that and can’t do nothing about it
Agreed! That is a logical limit to what the facilities must be used for. Well done Kambwili.
Apa alasa minister i do not like the way comes out on some issues but this is good is too much of weddings which does not last. Good mininster
I go for the the give and take solution and not the break-neck one the minister has decreed. The facility needs to raise money or else lizards will be cavorting there shortly. OYDC should have a proper calendar for sports activities and then events and festivals as fillers in between. Mulungushi conference centre, as an example, hosts various events when there are no international conferences taking place. That is how they raise money to keep the place in tip top shape. Kambwili should carefully think things through before banning, giving deadlines etc as has characterized his outbursts of late.
That’s S T U P I D! That is good revenue for upkeep & maintence of the building.
Hold your fire Bane… There are tow sides of a story… My question is who funds OYDC ??? Where does or what is the intended purpose of the money collected for the renting of the premises who benefits ?
Let the OYDC management issue a statement then lets see who has sense ?????
Ba Kambwili, that place needs money to sustain itself, remember the cry of the Mwanawasa Stadium management team? Are you going to fund this place adequately so that it does not develop cracks and become a ruin like the other structure next to Sunset Stadium?
Just sit down with Management to make sure that sports activities take preference and where there is none, the facility must make money. That is the modern way of running sports arenas, ask the Managers of Wembley Stadium.
Why did you even start in the first place
Ba ZP mwatisebanya pliz get back 2 yo real sense . Learn 2 appreciate, go kambwili go…
Big mistake ba Minister. If the venue is so popular and raising revenue then increase the fees for any private functions. Think like a businessman if you want OYDC to maintain its standards.
A number of people have spoken sense, the facility should have a calendar, sports organisations know when they will be competing as such they can book more than a year in advance and empty slots can be used for revenue generation by whosoever has the money to pay in order to use the facility. Trouble is Zambians a short term plans, while individuals can decide that they will have a wedding in two weeks time, govt is no different.
What Hon Kambwili should tell us is who is going to pay for maintenance in the absence of self sustenance via functions held at the facility
Good move.Chishomba must be parted on the back..