The proposed subdivision and sale of Stand number 1346 Kwacha Grounds has sparked widespread opposition among residents of Ndola.
Ndola Central Member of Parliament Frank Tayali has emphasized the importance of preserving community spaces and fostering a brighter future for Ndola Central and beyond.
Tayali observed that despite claims of the said land being idle, ” Kwacha Grounds holds significant value.
” Kwacha Grounds holds significant value.as a strategic reserve for sporting and recreational amenities, which play a crucial role in fostering community unity and well-being, ” he said.
He has advised stakeholders to prioritize the preservation and enhancement of Kwacha Grounds instead of sacrificing it for commercial gain.
Tayali, who is also Minister of Transport and Logistics, has proposed innovative approaches such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) or long-term land leases to attract developers for investing in modern sporting infrastructure.
He emphasized the need for a strong declaration that Kwacha Grounds must never be sold, underlining its significance as more than just a piece of land but as a symbol of community identity and well-being.
Excellent,well done bwana MP, why should every community piece of land intended for recreation become a shopping centre? That is what PF and MMD were doing especially in Lusaka!!
Who even benefits from these malls……it’s Indians, Chinese and Arabs? Never seen a that opens it market to foreigners like Zambia. For example, all the major malls in Zambia are dominated by foreigners. Mukuba mall in Kitwe has zero shops owned by Zambians. Same with Manda Hill and Arcades in Lusaka. These foreigners ship the money to there countries, and Zambians complain of no money in circulation.
We want to win an AFCON again as well as qualify for our first FIFA World Cup, yet at the same time are carelessly taking away all the grounds and facilities essential for identifying, nurturing and developing that talent.
World class sportsmen & women don’t spring up like mushrooms or from a vacuum, without community sports & recreational grounds we can forget about being able to compete, soon not even regionally…
Lubuto township has no sports fields. Not that they were not there. They were there, but now it is plots. Lubuto Recreational centre had soccer and netball fields, but now it is residential plots and a church. The primary school’s soccer fields have not been spared by the council. The council has absolutely no idea of open spaces. Even Lowenthal Theatre ground has been subdivided. Even the Kafubu river has not been spared. Plots are given in the high-water mark, risking lives and properties.
Streetlights do not work, waste management is non existant, plots are allocated without developing them first. What they are supposed to do, they do not do.