Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, has criticized Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry on X (Twitter), accusing her of misleading the nation about the progress of renovations at the National Sports Stadium (NSS) in Harare.
Mahere, who was the legislator for Mt Pleasant but resigned from parliament recently, expressed her disappointment in Coventry stating that she continues to make false claims about the much anticipated renovations of the NSS.
In a series of Tweets, she said: “With all due respect, this is a further episode of lies, incompetence and broken promises from the honourable Minister.
“As far back as February 2020, Minister Kirsty Coventry lied to the nation that she had the stadium refurbishment under control and that she was on it.
“When we expressed our skepticism, the honourable Minister called it “nonsense.” In September 2020, Minister Coventry lied that the “refurbishments” they’d “done” would be approved by CAF. They weren’t.
“In 2022, the honourable Minister lied that a South African company had been engaged to refurbish the national stadium. To date, the national stadium remains condemned.”
Mahere’s frustration stems from Coventry’s last statement on Thursday that the sporting facility will be ready to host international matches by April.
“I do believe our next game is in June and we had set the target of April, so if it’s June, it gives us a little bit of leeway, but my expectations are that things are done and CAF is back in Zimbabwe to visit before April,” she told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
“Those are the timelines I can share with you right now because I am bound by the MoUs I signed and I have to be as respectful as I can to those private companies that have come forward to offer financial assistance.”
It means, the former swimmer is indicating the government requires less than 90 days to complete the much anticipated refurbishment.
This is a timeline that Mahere ‘deems unrealistic’ considering the previous ’empty promises’ by Coventry who is in her second term in the office after being retained by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in September 2023.
The NSS was banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after failing to fully meet minimum requirements of the continental football governing body to host international matches.
Renovations that are required include installation of bucket seats and electric turnstiles, competition areas, media tribune as well as medical facilities.
The imposed ban by CAF has resulted in the Zimbabwe national team playing its home games on foreign soil.
In November 2023, the Warriors hosted Nigeria at Rwanda’s Huye Stadium in a World Cup Qualifier match.
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