Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
CONFEDERATION of African Football stadium expert Muhammad Sidat, now working on a private consultancy basis, will be back in the country this morning on a yet another mission to try and assist Zimbabweans build stadiums that meet the continental body’s standards.
Sidat, is set to be a guest of Premier Soccer League debutants Scottland’s president, Pedzai “Scott” Sakupwanya.
The Mabvuku-Tafara legislator has launched an audacious bid to construct a stadium of international standards in Mabvuku.
Sakupwanya also wants to construct a top-notch sports facility in Ruwa.
Sources close to the goings-on of Sidat’s latest visit indicated that Sakupwanya had been impressed by the manner in which he had rendered expert advice on the renovation of the National Sports Stadium and Chahwanda Stadium in Kwekwe.
“Scott wants to ensure that his stadium follows the right procedures in terms of what fits the CAF and FIFA standards and as such he has invited Mr Sidat to come and assess and also interact with the engineers working on the project.
“This will ensure that resources are not used doing the wrong things in the construction works.
“Mr Sidat has already been to Chahwanda Stadium and gave them guidelines being used there, he has been to the national Stadium, earlier when he was still with CAF and lately when he was invited by ZIFA to assess whether all was being done the right way,” the sources said.
However, repeated efforts to get comments from Scotland proved futile as questions to the club via their media department went unanswered.
But given Sidat’s reputation for issuing brutal and professional assessments, it is the move by Scottland to invite him to take a look at their projects, which underscores Sakupwanya’s eagerness to change the face of sporting infrastructure in the country that is reeling from not having a CAF-certified stadium.
Sidat was invited by ZIFA to conduct a preliminary inspection of the ongoing renovations at the National Sports Stadium, which include the installation of a new turf, medical rooms, a media tribune, a VVIP tribune, bucket seats and electronic turnstiles.
When done with the refurbishment, the National Sports Stadium authorities are then expected to advise ZIFA to invite CAF’s inspection team, amid some hopes that the facility could pass the test to re-open its doors to international football in time for the Warriors’ remaining 2026 World Cup qualifiers scheduled for September and October.
At Chahwanda Stadium where he is likely to return next month for a review, Sidat also assessed the facility being built by businessman Shepherd Chahwanda and his partner Prophet Walter Magaya in the Midlands city.
During his initial tour of Kwekwe, Sidat offered guidance to contractors and expressed satisfaction with the progress and the stadium’s design, particularly the dressing rooms and the turf and was also happy with the pace at which the project was progressing.
