admin
Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER scoring a marked success with the official opening of the Heart Stadium by President Mnangagwa on Sunday, proprietor Walter Magaya says he has not given up on renovating Chibuku Stadium subject to agreement with the Chitungwiza Municipality.
Magaya, who at some point wanted to renovate and adopt Chibuku Stadium as the home ground for his Castle Lager Premiership team Yadah, has tried to convince the authorities for a lease agreement for the past six years but without success.
He recently held another round of talks with the authorities but nothing tangible has been agreed. The structure, however, is in a state of decay due to ageing and lack of maintenance.
Magaya told journalists that he actually wanted to contribute two stadiums to the high density town, which currently does not have a functional stadium even for division one games.
“I was in Chitungwiza last month but they are slow,” he said.
“I told the President that I want to build two stadiums in Chitungwiza. I have got the plans, everything is there but they are slow. They don’t react, I don’t know why?
“I want to renovate Chibuku; I want to build a ground in Zengeza. I am ready. I have got the guys who are ready to sponsor.
“I went to Chitungwiza four years ago and I went there again two years ago and this is my third visit; I was there last month and I met the whole council. I told them I want to bring Chitungwiza to life because they are a million people in Chitungwiza.
“The census says it’s 600 000 or so but I believe there are a million people in Chitungwiza. I am not sure if I am correct but I believe so and these guys need help. So I want to build a stadium in Chitungwiza,” said Magaya.
In 2017, Magaya proposed a deal to the Chitungwiza Town Council to renovate Chibuku Stadium which he wanted to use as a home ground for his Premiership side Yadah Stars.
However, the Chitungwiza Town Council officials said they were not ready to give Yadah Stars a long lease, which the investor wanted, and the deal collapsed.
Chibuku is one of the several council-owned recreational facilities that have been left to rot in recent years. At its prime, the now dilapidated stadium was used to host division one games.
The continued decay of Chibuku Stadium comes at a time when other local stadiums such as Rufaro and Gwanzura, both owned by the City of Harare, have turned into white elephants.
The country’s biggest facility, the National Sports Stadium, was banned from hosting international matches by the Confederation of African Football and is currently undergoing renovations to meet the required standards. Government has set funds for the refurbishment in the 2024 budget. Historically, Chibuku Stadium has played a key role in providing a platform for some of the best talent to emerge from Chitungwiza.
“We would want to have such things looked into which show that we create heroes. I grew up in Chitungwiza and we had our football heroes in the communities like Alois Bunjira and Stewart Murisa. People came to the grounds to see those people,” he said.
Magaya is hoping that his Heart Stadium project will help fill the gaps at a time when the country is facing a stadium crisis. He was grateful to the assistance rendered by Government in the construction and opening of the Heart Stadium, although the football authorities at ZIFA have appeared uninterested.
“Leadership changes everything. To be honest with you, I saw leadership in the Minister of Sport Kirsty (Coventry), I saw leadership in the Minister of Tourism (Barbra Rwodzi), which will be missing maybe with other branches, specifically speaking about football (ZIFA).
“There were not even there (at the official opening of the stadium). I penned them two invitation letters, to be specific. First of all, I wrote to them when I started the construction on 15 August saying come and guide us in the construction project on what you would want to see in football.
“They never turned up and then I asked them to attend the opening ceremony and they also didn’t turn up. So if such is that when private players are trying to assist and the football leadership are not even coming forth to that, then I tell you our football is going nowhere.
“It’s not about the individual brilliance or about the individual trophy. It’s collective effort that makes football reach dizzy heights. We must be competitive and complement each other in a certain way.
“At this stage, I was expecting them to compliment us for what we are doing . . . Maybe the styles of leader-ship are different. We hope that if we work together now or later we are going to achieve in making our football great,” said Magaya.
Online Reporter