The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
WITH the imminent promotion of Tenax FC into the Castle Lager Premiership, Mutare is on the verge of witnessing the first ever top-flight league football derby that might, however, be played outside the environs of the city as refurbishment works at Sakubva Stadium were stopped early this year.
Manica Diamonds FC are currently the only team in the country’s top-flight league and the club is using Vengere Stadium in Rusape as their home ground after Mutare City Council failed to complete renovation works at Sakubva Stadium in time for the 2019 season.
In a historic feat for the eastern border city this weekend, Tenax FC are highly likely to be promoted into the country’s top-flight league to give Mutare two teams in the Castle Lager Premiership – the first time that Mutare has ever had two resident Premiership football clubs.
That automatically paves way for the first ever Mutare Premiership derby.
Sadly, the derby might not be played at Sakubva Stadium – the city’s ceremonial home of football – as renovation works have since stopped and the neglected match venue left in a desolate state.
But just like Manica Diamonds, Tenax FC might end up being forced to use Vengere Stadium as their home ground being the nearest match venue meeting PSL standards.
Mutare City Council appears to be failing to realise that sport is big business as evidenced by the abandonment of renovations at Sakubva Stadium. On the other hand, Rusape Town Council moved in quickly to spruce up Vengere Stadium and accordingly earned the right to host top-flight league football matches.
For close to two years now, Mutare City Council has been struggling to renovate Sakubva Stadium.
Even though Mutare City Council spokesperson Spren Mutiwi said they would complete renovations of the stadium to meet PSL standards by the start of the 2020 season, it is difficult to believe that renovation works that were scheduled to be implemented in close to two years could now be completed in less than four months.
“The construction of Sakubva Stadium was greatly affected by the hyperinflationary environment. But as a local authority, we still believe we can complete the outstanding work.
“We are in the process of procuring the material to complete the task and we believe by end of the year we would have completed. We are committed to ensure that come 2020 the stadium should meet the requirements to give the newly promoted team access to use the home of football – Sakubva.
“It has been a difficult task to carry out construction works in this unpredictable economic environment. We anticipate to resume construction soon because now we are in ove drive for resources mobilisation and we are hands-on to ensure the task is carried out to completion.
“ We also want the stadium to start operating by the beginning of 2020 premier soccer league season and that we are confident that we will be able to attain. We continue to extend our call to all progressive soccer lovers amd corporates who are keen to give a hand. We are open to any support that will help to expedite the process.
“We have so far completed 851 metres for trenching and footing has been completed. Sub-structure has also been completed. Super-structure 428 metres has been completed giving a balance of 423 metres,” said Mutiwi.
A few workers that had been erecting the precast wall since the beginning of last year deserted the site early this year and “lovebirds” from nearby Sakubva high density suburb are conveniently turning the multiple sports facility into a love nest.
A cursory research by Post Sports early this year revealed that if the precast wall construction is completed and piecemeal renovations inside the facility are done, the match venue is highly likely to get the nod from PSL to host top-flight league football matches.
