Upgrade of Sam Nujoma Stadium to cost City close to N$20 million
• By Michael Uugwanga
The City of Windhoek must fork at least N$19,926.26 926 266m towards upgrading the Sam Nujoma Stadium.
The Sam Nujoma Stadium’s closure is one of the reasons why the country has been forced to play its international football abroad, notably in South Africa, which continues to hamper the team’s performance on the continent.
For many years, Namibians have been crying foul on social media, wanting to see their national teams, such as the Brave Warriors and the Brave Gladiators, playing their home matches in front of their fans and supporters, unlike abroad, where they play their home matches in empty stadiums.
The other stadium, which is the Independence Stadium, is in the same breath as the Sam Nujoma Stadium, as it also needs a revamp, which will have to be done by the government, who are the custodians of the stadium, unlike the Sam Nujoma Stadium, which belongs to the City of Windhoek.
Lydia Amutenya, Section Head: Corporate Communications, when asked to comment regarding the latest development on upgrading the Sam Nujoma Stadium, said revamping the stadium will take time.
“The estimated cost for the required works at the Sam Nujoma Stadium is N$ 19,926,266.00 for alterations to water supply and electrical installations, including VAT. This estimate covers the scope outlined in the investigative report and excludes professional fees for supervision, project management, and quantity surveying services. Additional costs for civil works, architectural features, mechanical and electrical items, pitch-related items, and external grounds are not included in this estimate and will be separately assessed if needed.
“The City of Windhoek has not yet finalised the bidding process for the stadium upgrade. The construction bidding process, under Bid No.: SC/RP/COW-31/2023 is still pending completion. The selected contractor for the upgrade will be announced following the conclusion of this bidding phase,” said Amutenya.
This means the country will again be forced to continue playing its home matches abroad. In contrast, local teams playing in African club premier competitions, notably in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, will also be forced to find another home outside the country. African Stars, representing the country in the CAF Champions League preliminary round, will play its home matches in Botswana against Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana. “The specific timeline for the completion of the Sam Nujoma Stadium upgrade will be determined once the bidding process is finalised and the construction schedule is established. The Municipal Council of Windhoek will provide updates on the expected completion date as soon as the construction phase is officially underway,” said Amutenya.