Govt, local authorities engage in sports facilities

Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter

Government is engaging local authorities to find ways of providing sports facilities that meet international standards, the Deputy Minister for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Emily Jesaya told the National Assembly.

The Deputy Minister also said government policy allowed clubs in any sporting discipline to lease facilities from their owners if the concerned parties agreed on such arrangements.

Deputy Minister Jesaya said this during the National Assembly question and answer session on Wednesday.

“Government values provision of sporting infrastructure that meet acceptable standards. As a ministry, we are engaging with the Ministry of Local Government and local authorities to have facilities that meet international standards. This is not only for football but other sporting disciplines,” she said.

“On the issue of clubs leasing facilities, the Government is open to clubs entering into such arrangements with whomsoever own such facilities provided they enter into legally binding lease agreements.”

On the ongoing refurbishment of the National Sports Stadium, Deputy Minister Jesaya said works were progressing well with expectations that the facility would meet Confederation of African Football standards by next year.

“The renovation works are progressing well and that includes the water reticulation system and the bucket seats are on their way from China,” she said.

The country’s national football teams play their home matches away because no stadium in the country meets CAF or FIFA standards.