By Rosalia Kapiri
Lilongwe, March 21, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has described the Four Nations Football Tournament as an event that connects people beyond nationalities by bridging the gap between nations through promotion of unity amongst the countries involved.
He was speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Thursday evening during a presidential dinner hosted for football teams in the Four Nations Tournament currently underway in Lilongwe.
Chakwera said Malawi is determined to take sports development to greater heights through various sports projects taking place in the country.
He cited such projects as the Griffin Saenda Complex, the National Aquatic Centre and various stadiums currently under construction in multiple districts across all the country’s three regions.
“For us in Malawi, we are determined to take all sports disciplines in which we have a competitive advantage to the next level; and football is one of them. This determination is the reason why sports development is part of our human capital development strategy at the heart of the Malawi 2063 (MW2063),” said Chakwera.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President, Fleetwood Haiya, applauded the president’s gesture saying it is beyond the demonstration of dedication to football commitment in the country.
Haiya said: “This tournament is a testimony of real partnership among the four countries of which the concept was conceived by the football association committee presidents of the four nations. We appreciate FIFA’s support to cushion the general organization of this tournament. We will give value of the support we have received from our partners and remain resolute in transforming the vision towards the MW 2063 goals.”
Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, expressed his ministry’s continued support to all programs intended to develop sports in the country.
In her remarks, representative of the International Football Association, who is General Secretary for Zimbabwe Football Association, Yvonne Mapika Manwa, thanked President Chakwera for opening up and taking time to host them as players and officials.
The Four Nations Tournament, which kicked off on the 20th March this year, is the first ever to happen in this part of the SADC region. It has as brought together senior and junior teams of the four countries of Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, the host.
