Namibia president commissions Eeshoke Chula Chula sports facility

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah commissioned the Eeshoke Chula Chula sports facility in Helao Nafidi on Saturday. The opening programme included a 30-minute match between Eeshoke Chula Chula and Mighty Gunners FC on the new field.

The facility is located in Namibia’s Ohangwena Region, where Eeshoke Chula Chula finished second in the Namibia Premier League. The club’s players attended the ceremony, while the match gave the teams an opportunity to use the venue for the first time in front of the president and other dignitaries.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said sporting opportunities should be available to children in rural communities as well as those in urban centres. She said the centre should help develop elite competitors, promote responsible citizenship and create economic opportunities for Helao Nafidi and the surrounding region.

The president also presented the facility as a resource for the wider community rather than only for competitive sport. Organised walks, aerobics, fitness activities and health education programmes could all be hosted there, alongside training and competition for footballers, boxers, cyclists and track-and-field athletes.

She urged the Helao Nafidi Town Council and its partners to create a long-term management plan. The venue, she said, should remain well maintained, open to schools and community clubs, safe for women and children, accessible to people with disabilities and active throughout the year.

Nandi-Ndaitwah linked the investment to Namibia’s recent sporting achievements, including the country’s participation at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She said talent often emerges from schools, villages and local competitions, where young athletes may not have access to qualified coaches or scouts.

The facility could also support cross-border sporting and cultural programmes because of Helao Nafidi’s location near Angola. Clubs, schools and academies from Ohangwena and neighbouring Angola may use it for tournaments and training activities. Helao Nafidi mayor Darius Shaalukeni described the project as an investment in young people, their health, discipline and future, and said it could help bring Namibia Premier League matches to the region.