TWO visiting ministers from the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) Zone Six have said they are impressed with the progress being made by Zambia towards hosting the 2011 All-Africa Games scheduled for Lusaka.
Sports Permanent Secretary, Bob Samakai, said in Lusaka yesterday after the regional SCSA team inspected some facilities earmarked for the Games that a delegation from the SCSA secretariat in Yaoundé, Cameroun is expected in Lusaka today to evaluate the actual works done by Zambia in readiness for the Games set for July-August 2011.
Samakai said the Zone Six ministers inspected the University of Zambia (UNZA) main campus, the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC), Independence stadium and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) multi-purpose sports complex site.
Makhenkesi Stofile from South Africa and John Mutorwa from Namibia were happy with the progress made so far.
Samakai said the UNZA main campus, the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), the Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and NRDC had been earmarked to be the Games villages for athletes and officials.
Samakai said two ministers who arrived on Sunday for a four-day visit were generally impressed with construction works at the proposed site for hostels at UNZA and with the works that had already commenced at the site.
“They are happy with the works that we have started. They know we are just starting and they are interested in pushing so that we quickly reach our target by next year,” Samakai said.
He said the NOC multi-purpose sports complex will be completed by October next year, while the Independence Stadium which will be used for the official opening and closing ceremonies, is set for completion towards the end of 2009.
“They were happy that we have got these deadlines. As for the accommodation units, the ministry of Education will put up some, while ours will start soon. We already have the designs,” Samakai said.
The team is today scheduled to visit Nkoloma and Woodlands stadia and the Barclays and National Sports Development Centre sports complexes which will also be used by the athletes during the Games.
Approximately 10,000 athletes from about 26 disciplines are expected to converge in Zambia for the All Africa Games.
[Times of Zambia]
We’ll only be satisfied when see the actual progress made!
Fyabufi, what preparations? Be honest people.
What facilities are these? Because Zambia does not have stadia!!!
Nonsense you chaps!there’s no progress @UNZA…just foundations…hahahahaaaa……..
I AGREE WITH COMMENT ONE,WE WILL ONLY BE SATISFIIED WHEN THE WORK IS COMPLETE.WE’VE HAD ENOUGH OF THEIR STORIES AND NOW ITS TIME FOR THEM TO ACT AND NOT TELLING US ABOUT THEIR SO CALLED PROGRESS.
I like the optimistic deadlines being proposed. I think with adequate inspection and focus from all parties involved, this will be an extremely successful even for Zambia. Who knows what will happen from there.. surely we’ll host the African Cup of Nations.. from there.. the sky is the limit
Keep the Zambian Dream alive
Tukamona
What preparation for real?? UNZA HONE NIPA come on Zambia lets build something sensible
i think we are not ready for 2010 wc in rsa. it is not just about stadia, but wholistic infrastructure, such as hotels, road netwoks, how amenable are tourist sites to visitors. we sure will have a raw deal for both angola and rsa bounts. shame we just talk too much and do very litle.
It will be good for Zambia to build sports complex. This will mean that all the athletes abroad will be coming for trials especially when they put a running track is stadiums.
Lets be serious ba Zambia, tufumyeko insoni. Algeria was a disaster, tuchinje and tubikeko amano please, twapapata. Impiya tashifula. Lets put money to good use.