Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Sport, Arts, Recreation and Culture Minister Anselem Sanyatwe ran short of superlatives to describe the level of investment at Chahwanda Stadium in Kwekwe, which he said fits perfectly into the Government’s policy for sports infrastructure development.
The 10 000-seater arena, now in the final stages of completion, is billed in the future to host CAF games.
Minister Sanyatwe toured the facility in Kwekwe yesterday, accompanied by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport Nicholas Moyo, permanent secretary for the Midlands Province Edgar Seenza, and officials from the two ministries.
Chawanda Stadium is a privately funded project estimated to cost approximately US$10 million. It was built by businessman Shepherd Chahwanda and is home to newly promoted Premiership side Hardrock, which is also the brainchild of the businessman.
“When we talk of investment, my brother, this is massive. To me, Mr Chawanda and partners are really implementing the call by His Excellency, the President, that “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.”
“The provision of sporting facilities is not only left to the Government to construct or to maintain existing facilities, but to the individuals as well.
“Here we are today, Mr Chawanda took it upon himself and heeded the call for the provision of such facilities. Hence, the investment is massive, if I am to put it across that way,” said Minister Sanyatwe.
He also hailed efforts by Yadah owner Walter Magaya for the construction of the Heart Stadium and Scottland’s Scott Sakupwanya who is spearheading multi-million dollar football facilities’ projects in Ruwa and Mabvuku.
The Minister was impressed by Chahwanda Stadium, which features modern amenities designed to meet CAF standards. These include state-of-the-art changing rooms, doping rooms, a modern press box and media centre, sufficient drainage, floodlights, electronic turnstiles and is the first football stadium in Zimbabwe to feature electronic touchline banners.
Also housed at the complex are villas, a clinic, shops, a B-arena at the final stages of completion, a spacious car park and a gym.
“I am reliably informed that initially they wanted this facility to accommodate 5 000 in terms of capacity and then they increased the capacity to 10 000 and eventually made it to 15 000,” said Minister Sanyatwe.
The owners of the stadium are pushing for international football to be played in the mining town.
The facility was recently inspected by CAF inspectors led by Rwandan Aloys Mpambara who also conducted an inspection tour of the National Sports Stadium, Barbourfields and Ngoni in Norton.
“What an encouragement in this city of Kwekwe. As the Minister for Sport, Arts, Recreation and Culture, I am extremely very excited and we now have a facility that has been constructed in line with the standards approved and endorsed by CAF,” said Minister Sanyatwe.
According to CAF requirements the stadium must be located within a reasonable distance from an international airport capable of handling charter flights.
Minister Sanyatwe suggested an inter-ministerial initiative could be put in place to address the bottleneck.
“The requirement for an airport?” said the Minister in response to Zimpapers.
“I think to be precise, here we have provisioned for the sporting facilities past the stadium.
“Now when you are talking of the airport, you are now talking about yet another line ministry. That to me is Ministry of Transport.
“Surely for that requirement, many initiatives have got to be done, possibly through the ministry, to get them close cooperation and coordination with the local minister of state, my brother Honourable (Owen) Ncube, so that we’ll have a two-pronged approach to avail the facility in question.
“Also, not forgetting the Minister of Mines. So it’s not an answer that should be conclusive from the Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
“We’ll take it on board and we’ll see how best we can do it. I’m happy the owner of the land is with us here, the Permanent Secretary in the office of our local Minister of State,” said Minister Sanyatwe.
