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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
SAKUBVA Stadium could soon be hosting Premiership matches as Mutare businessman Isau Mupfumi has started refurbishment works at the match venue.
The project seeks to ensure that the facility satisfies the minimum standards acceptable for the return of top-flight league football to Mutare.
The prominent Mutare businessman engaged Mutare City Council management recently with the aim of helping out in the renovations of Sakubva Stadium.
Works to renovate the turf, which was the main area of concern, begun this week, with Mupfumi acquiring pine bark and fertilisers to rejuvenate the playing surface as well as deploying and paying people carrying out the job.
Mupfumi said: “Surely with good turf at Mutare Sports Club, at the cricket ground and also the Hillcrest sports fields as well as Africa University, as Manicaland we could engage the professionals who man these facilities to assist Mutare City Council.
“The measures that I am undertaking are short term and meant to let the facility meet minimum acceptable standards that will allow people of Mutare to watch the beloved game.
“Mutare as a city cannot afford to have no football matches at the venue; that is unacceptable to me. I know and I understand that football is the best supported sport in this country, hence as a community leader I felt I should play my part.”
As the renovation works commence, the Mutare businessman is not resting on his laurels. Instead, he is making plans to urge local corporate community – the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company in particular – to make lasting refurbishments to the facility.
“The sad thing about all this is that we have so many corporates in Manicaland who seem to invest their corporate social responsibility initiatives in other areas apart from what directly affects the community.
“For example, the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company, which apparently owns a team in the Premiership, should really play a leading role in the construction of a world class stadium here in Mutare.
“As a community leader, this is one issue I will work round the clock to see it happen. For now, we can only be content with renovations that will enable the return of Premiership action to Sakubva Stadium,” said Mupfumi.
Sakubva Stadium was banned from hosting Castle Lager Premiership matches since the start of the season after the Mutare facility was sidelined on the list of match venues that are hosting top-flight league football.
The only Premiership team in Mutare — Manica Diamonds — has been playing their home matches far away from home at Gibbo Stadium in Triangle.
Maverick women football administrator, Cecilia Gambe, who is heavily involved in the logistical arrangements to see Mupfumi accomplish the short term renovations said: “We are thankful to Isau Mupfumi for his help. Very few, if any, among our businessmen and politicians find it worthwhile to assist the community like he is doing.
“As a football personality, I will forever be grateful to him and I really hope and pray that at some point some corporates will see value in constructing a world class stadium in Mutare.”
Staunch Liverpool and Dynamos supporter, Munyaradzi Zinomwe said: “The Sakubva stadium ban is a very painful situation for us the football- crazy Mutare soccer lovers. Our last hope is in Isau Mupfumi coming to aid in the refurbishment of the Sakubva Stadium turf. Driving past Sakubva Stadium every week stabs a sharp dagger in my heart.
“Week Five of action is now beckoning without a slight hint of good news from Mutare City council. It is sad that our beloved Manica Diamonds have to drive every week to play away from home. It is time for us all the local football supporters in Manicaland to meet and contribute the little resources which can to aid our cause.
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