MBABANE – It is official!
The E42 million budget previously allocated for the ongoing rehabilitation of Somhlolo National Stadium has been redirected to Microprojects.
This allocation was originally included in the Ministry of Finance’s budget estimates for the 2026/27 financial year, tabled by Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg during his budget speech last month. The funding was specifically intended to accelerate the stadium’s progress in meeting Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards.
The Committee Chairperson and Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament (MP) Marwick Khumalo disclosed plans to divert the funds towards Microprojects.
Microprojects is a specialised agency under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development in Eswatini. It is designed to bridge the gap between large-scale national infrastructure and immediate community needs by implementing small-to-medium capital projects quickly and efficiently.
MP Khumalo pledged the committee’s full support for any figures the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs might submit in a supplementary budget, arguing that the current allocation was insufficient to complete the renovations.
Khumalo noted that revised figures would likely provide more accurate estimates for the entire project. He also mentioned that the ministry had requested a larger sum, suggesting that the current allocation would not be enough to cross the finish line. The Lobamba Lomdzala MP further stated that Somhlolo is beginning to mirror the International Convention Centre and Five Star Hotel (ICC-FISH) project.
According to a source close to the matter, the stadium’s upgrade is now expected to hit a significant snag. The proposal to redirect the funds, initiated by the Finance Portfolio Committee, has received final approval. “The only hope for Somhlolo now lies with the supplementary budget, as the ministry needs to pay the contractor for the work that has been completed so far,” the source said.
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