Relief for Zim football family as Uebert Angel kickstarts renovations at Gwanzura Stadium

Presidential Envoy and Ambassador at Large Prophet Uebert Angel has devoted himself to renovating the neglected Gwanzura Stadium in Harare with work already underway.

The new development was made known through a tweet that was shared by the Permanent Secretary of Information Nick Mangwana on Monday afternoon.

In his tweet, Mangwana confirmed the Presidential Envoy will refurbish the dilapidated stadium that has completely fallen into disrepair in the past years.

“The responsibility for Gwanzura stadium lies with @cohsunshinecity. But the person refurbishing it is @UebertAngelAmb. We thank him,” he tweeted.

According to multiple reports the Spirit Embassy: GoodNews founder has already begun the refurbishments of the Harare City Council owned stadium.

An official of the Office of the Presidential Envoy and Ambassador at Large (OPEAAL) was quoted by the state-owned H-Metro newspaper confirming that the renovations are already underway.

“The OPEAAL Mnangagwa Fund is not taxpayers’ money, it is a fund Ambassador Uebert Angel personally set aside to address development projects in the country,” the OPEAAL official told H-Metro.

“After several meetings with Sports Minister, Kirsty Coventry, Ambassador Angel strongly believes the sports and arts sector needs support from everyone in Zimbabwe, and abroad, which is why he has decided to create this fund and begin the work at Gwanzura Stadium.”

Its reported Angel is determined to renovate Gwanzura until it becomes a state of the art stadium set to be wholly recognised by FIFA and CAF as well as given the nod to host international matches.

Meanwhile, these renovations come at a time when there has been a loud outcry from the football fraternity of late pointing out to the eyesore looking football stadiums that are dotted across the country.

The worrying situation has culminated in CAF banning stadiums that include the National Sports, Rufaro and Barbourfields Stadiums deeming them as sub-standard and unable to host any international matches.

Government through its arm the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has been heavily blamed for the bad looking appearance of the stadiums.

In an interview with Nehanda Radio, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume blamed the situation on the inability of residents to pay their council bills, saying this was crippling their ability to maintain infrastructure.

Mafume also said previous interference by central government in giving residents amnesty from paying their bills has created a culture where residents don’t prioritise paying their bills.

Then Minister of Local Government, Ignatius Chombo in 2013 extended a debt amnesty to ratepayers who owed billions of dollars to their respective councils countrywide in what was viewed as vote buying.

Several councils around the country continue to be haunted by that amnesty Mafume told Nehanda Radio. 

He also said the government was blocking partnership agreements the council was trying to enter into with the corporate world to maintain the stadiums. Nehanda Radio