Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume’s ‘efforts and commitment’ in spearheading the revival of the iconic football venue Rufaro Stadium in Mbare appear to be paying off.
It comes after the outspoken Mafume received some rave reviews from vice president Kembo Mohadi for giving life to the sporting facility that had fallen into a state of disrepair in recent years.
Rufaro Stadium was forced to close its gates by the then Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA)’s First Instance Body (FIB) in 2019 due to dilapidation.
The venue which is popularly known as Harare giants Dynamos FC’s traditional home ground was banned by FIB from hosting elite league matches in 2019 because of its eyesore looking state.
However, due to Mafume’s ‘dedication and hard work’, the stadium has undergone a significant renovation especially the dressing rooms, media tribune and referees’ changing rooms.
This allowed the current FIB team led by ex-Warriors manager Sharrif Musa to give a green light to the stadium to once again host league matches.
So far, the iconic venue has hosted over 13 Premier Soccer League (PSL) games in the ongoing 2024 campaign.
Consequently, it is the reopening of Rufaro Stadium that prompted Mohadi to express his gratitude, praising the Harare Mayor for a “job well done”.
“I would like to thank the City of Harare through the job done by his worship the Mayor Councillor Mafume for the strides that they have taken to spruce up or to modernise Rufaro Stadium”.
“They have managed to meet some of the requirements that are required by FIFA and CAF. He informed me that Rufaro is now hosting league matches which is good music to my ears,” said Mohadi during his tour of Rufaro last Thursday.
The former deputy minister of sports promised that the government will “lend a shoulder” in “helping the City of Harare to spruce up Rufaro Stadium to a state of the art sporting facility”.
Sources at the City of Harare revealed that the purchasing of bucket seats, electronic turnstiles and flood lights through government support is already in the pipeline.
The sources also suggested that installation is expected anytime soon.
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