Mutare businessman Isau Mupfumi has started the refurbishment of Sakubva Stadium so that it can host Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches.
Mupfumi engaged Mutare City Council management recently with the aim of helping out in the renovations of Sakubva Stadium.
Work on the pitch, which is the main area of concern, started last week.
Mupfumi acquired pine bark and fertilisers to refurbish the turf as well as deploying and paying people to carry out the job.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/sakubva-stadium-refurbishment-begins/">The Manica Post</a>, Mupfumi said he engaged professional groundsmen to assist Mutare City Council. He said:
<blockquote>
Surely with good turf at Mutare Sports Club, at the cricket ground, and also the Hillcrest sports fields as well as Africa University, Manicaland we could engage the professionals who man these facilities to assist Mutare City Council.
The measures that I am undertaking are short-term and meant to let the facility meet minimum acceptable standards that will allow the people of Mutare to watch the beloved game.
Mutare as a city cannot afford not having football matches at the venue; that is unacceptable to me.
I know and I understand that football is the best-supported sport in this country, hence as a community leader I felt I should play my part.
</blockquote>
Mupfumi urged the local corporate community, the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company in particular, to also assist in the renovation of Sakubva Stadium.
Sakubva Stadium was banned from hosting Castle Lager Premiership matches since the start of the season after failing to satisfy the required minimum standards.
The only Premiership team in Mutare, Manica Diamonds, has been playing their home matches far away from home at Gibbo Stadium in Triangle.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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Isau Mupfumi Commences Sakubva Stadium Refurbishment

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has deemed Sakubva Stadium in Mutare unfit to host Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches due to the poor state of the turf.
The <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/sakubva-stadium-condemned-again/">Manica Post</a> reports that a ZIFA grounds inspection team, under the First Instance Body banner, comprising ZIFA chief operations officer, Xolisani Gwesela, ZIFA technical director, Wilson Mukede and Premier Soccer League man in charge of competitions, Elisha Mandireva were in Mutare to inspect Sakubva Stadium ahead of the start of the 2023 PSL season.
In 2022, Sakubva Stadium was condemned towards the season halfway mark after it had deteriorated to unacceptable standards due to overuse.
City of Mutare spokesperson, Spren Mutiwi, said he was unaware that ZIFA had condemned the stadium again. He said:
<blockquote>
We are not aware that the grounds inspection committee from ZIFA was here. We are not even aware of their decision to condemn the match venue.
We have a plan to replace the turf and I am sure the process is at an advanced stage even though I might need to get finer details on the work covered so far in that regard.
</blockquote>
Manica Diamonds chairman, Masimba Chihowa, expressed concern over the latest development, saying the club cannot afford to host home matches in Harare or Triangle. Said Chihowa:
<blockquote>
We are worried, shuttered and devastated that the stadium cannot be used after the condemnation by the grounds inspection committee.
What is of great concern for us is that the stadium was condemned because of overuse when Manica Diamonds, the only Premiership club in Mutare, has never had a training session at Sakubva Stadium in recent months.
As a team, we are worried about which match venue shall we register as our home ground ahead of the start of the season.
We had not factored in any budget relating to travelling outside the city for our home matches.
If you look at the options available, it be very costly for the team. Travelling more than 300km to Triangle or Harare is not within our budget.
We just hope and pray that something will be done to restore the good quality of the turf before the start of the season.
</blockquote>
The 2023 Castle Lager Premiership season commences next month.

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