LUSAKA Mayor Miles Sampa has demanded that anyone who wants to renovate Matero Stadiun must compensate him K10 million.
The famous Matero stadium, home of Lusaka Tigars Football Club since 1951, is now a sorry site.
Last week Lusaka Tigers Technical Committee chairman Tom Michelo and club chairman Colonel Teddy Njovu raised concern over the state of the stadium which was leased to Sampa when he was Matero member of parliament.
But Sampa has not taken the concerns lightly as he feels that it is being used for political mileage.
On his Facebook page, Sampa has urged all those that who want to renovate the Matero stadium to compensate him K10m.
“Current estimates of personal funds I spent to refurbish the stadium swings around K10m depending on the prevailing exchange rate as most items were imported,” he posted.
“Anyone therefore wishing to bully their way into the works we have done thus far at the stadium before the lease expires in 2021 should first be willing to not only compensate us the K10M plus but also show us just one structure be it a toilet that they have in their life time put up in or around the Stadium.”
Sampa used a Bembas saying “Ba Katyetye Mwenda Mwalimwa (There are certain birds that their livelihood depend on reaping, harvesting or walking into a field where they planted zero seed).”
He added that the dilapidated stadium was still available for use.
“Matero stadium remains available free for recreational use by all residents of Matero, male or female and for any type of sport of their choice. The stadium should, however, not be used for cheap political Kapyopyo schemes by those wanting to stand as MP in 2021 to which I encourage them to stand but just not use personal development sacrifice at the Stadium as their launch pads. It’s the quickest way of decampaigning themselves as they will be reminding well meaning residents of Matero what I did there as MP and gone to waste since I left,” Sampa said.
“I encourage them to go to the Zingalume grounds in George Compound next to Chunga which has also never been developed in the history of Zambia since I last put a state of the art DIY Basket ball court (similar to one at my home now) when I was MP in 2014. I had to import NBA certified glass board Basketball hoops from New Jersey, USA to build them and get youths play Basketball in Matero. Likewise, the Basket ball Court at this ‘Zingalume stadium’ and another one I built DIY in Chunga was vandalised when I left
Matero as MP. The Chunga one has since been sold to Zambeef by known selfish youths and individuals.”
Sampa added ”Zingalume grounds ‘stadium’ therefore remains available now for development and chancers or ones I am calling political ‘Kapyopyos’ (like Mr Venny Musonda) and others. They should not wait for me to
start my DIY works here before they wake up and ‘Fly Without Wings’ to the work site as Katyetye Birds like they are attempting to do at the Matero stadium. They can be original and start own greenfield projects in Matero where every dot in the Constituency is still yearning for development.”