By Aliko Munde

Chitipa, April 30, Mana: District Commissioner for Chitipa, MacMillan Magomero, has called for patience among sports fanatics in the district over the district's stadium, currently under construction, which he said will be completed by May 15, 2025.

The call follows demonstrations, a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Chitipa, staged on 25 April 2025, petitioning the council over continued delays to complete construction of the district's sports facility.

Magomero, speaking Tuesday during a Full Council Meeting, which brought together various stakeholders, including members of the Concerned Citizens, said the district council is working tirelessly to ensure that the stadium is completed in good time.

"While it is everyone's right to demonstrate, people should understand their roles and responsibilities in society. As a council, we are working tirelessly to ensure that the stadium is completed in time and that communities here in Chitipa start benefiting from the facility," Magomero said.

Magomero faulted the procedure the demonstrators followed to petition the council, saying it was unconstitutional, hence calling for dialogue among various stakeholders in the district as the stadium is being constructed.

In his remarks, Member of Parliament for Chitipa East Constituency, Kezzie Msukwa, underscored that the cause for the petition was good but faulted the procedure to deliver the petition to the council, saying such issues are better handled through discussions rather than demonstrations.

"This issue of a stadium is trivial. I understand that the council is working hard to ensure that the facility is completed, hence people in the district need to wait as the stadium will be available for use soon," Msukwa said.

Senior Chief Mwabulambya called on people to rally behind the council over the matter, saying there is no need for people in the district to worry as the stadium will be completed and handed over to the district council soon.

One of the concerned citizens, Samson Sibale, described full council meeting as a success, saying that the discussion on the stadium was fruitful.

“We have been told that the stadium will be ready by May 15th, 2025, and we are just waiting for that day because we want to start using the stadium,” Sibale said.

Once completed, Chitipa stadium is expected to be the home ground for Chitipa United, which plays in the country's elite football league, TNM Super League, as the team currently uses Karonga stadium for its home matches.