Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere
Zimpapers Sports Hub
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is concerned by the homelessness of the Warriors and has directed that this should be fixed without further delays.
This was revealed by the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Anselem Sanyatwe, in Harare yesterday. He was speaking on the sidelines of yesterday’s Post Cabinet briefing.
He said President Mnangagwa will not accept any delay from the March 2026 deadline.
The Warriors are set for their sixth AFCON finals later this month.
Cabinet yesterday discussed the team’s homelessness and was updated on the progress of the renovations at the 60 000-seater National Sports Stadium.
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Minister Sanyatwe said the timelines have been communicated to contractors and will have to be met without fail.
“The President is quite uncomfortable with Zimbabwe playing international matches out of the country and when the President says that I know what it means,” said Minister Sanyatwe.
“It means that the stadium must be completed and our teams should start playing their home international matches at home.
“The renovations at the National Sports Stadium are at an advanced stage and I am very grateful with the progress made so far.
“I have personally witnessed the contractors working flat-out day and night and I have given them the deadline for them to complete all the refurbishment works.
“The stadium is supposed to be done by the beginning of the 2026 season. It should be before the beginning of the 2026 season.”
The giant stadium, and all the other major stadiums in the country, have been condemned by the Confederation of African Football and this has forced the Warriors and the country’s representatives in continental competitions to play their home matches out of the country.
Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Cabinet received an update on the progress made to date regarding the refurbishment of the NSS.
He said the refurbishment is part of a broader endeavour to upgrade sports infrastructure across the country, in particular to ensure that local stadia satisfy conditions for hosting international events.
“Through the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model, which was meant to accelerate refurbishment works, remarkable progress has been scored at the National Sports Stadium, including works on the pitch drainage, herbicide application, with lawn planting expected to commence soon,” said Dr Muswere.
“B-Arena drainage works are also in progress. Overall progress on other works, including electricals, is at 90 percent.”
Mathew Masinge