Rufaro Stadium renovations were like putting lipstick on a frog

THE jokes at the Harare City Council continue to write themselves.

Bra Shakes understands that when Rufaro Stadium, which had been closed for five years due to its decrepit state, finally opened its gates for its first match, when Yadah Stars faced Dynamos, some of the toilets were in horrible condition.

Fans also could not easily access the venue as there was a problem with the turnstiles.

Some soccer-starved fans were unfortunately turned away.

And all this after city fathers claimed to have shelled an eye-watering US$1 million — yes, USD — to ostensibly give it a facelift.

If this is not criminal, nothing else is.

Maybe they misunderstood the assignment.

While they did a good job with the car park, which is understandable, since the contractor was City Park — better-known for terrorising motorists in parking lots in and around the capital — more work was needed inside.

Nothing much has changed.

If someone who died, say in the late sixties when the facility was constructed, happens to rise from the dead, he can easily make his way around that venue.

The so-called US$1 million renovations by Mayor Jacob Mafume and his lackeys were like putting lipstick on a frog.

These guys should have studiously read the damning appraisal that was made by CAF technical development director Raul Chipenda to ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairperson Lincoln Mutasa after inspection visits conducted on Rufaro Stadium and the National Sports Stadium at the end of last year.

“The inspection report concluded that several areas in both the stadiums require a total renovation in accordance with the CAF requirements, overall indicating that the stadiums must be totally revamped and redesigned from the ground up to fit the modern football stadium requirements and standards,” noted an unimpressed Chipenda.

“Areas such as the field of play, stands and spectator facilities, competition areas, media and medical facilities are just some of the main highlighted issues.

“Additionally, the functionality, design, comfort and the quality of equipment in the stadiums are currently of great concern.”

He was not finished.

In as far as the 60-something-year-old Rufaro is concerned, he concluded: “As it stands, it is important to underline that there is a high risk that at the end of the ongoing renovation works in Rufaro Stadium, the stadium might still fail to comply with the minimum requirements to host some of the CAF competitions.”

In simple English, he clearly described the council renovations for what they truly were — a fraud. It also means he recommended that the stadium needed to be razed to the ground and built anew.

Bra Shakes thinks that these chaps should have left Sakunda to reconstruct that facility, especially after the memorandum of understanding they had signed at the beginning of 2022.

The artistic impressions of the planned designs show it all.

Besides work on the stadium, they wanted to also convert nearby hostels to schools, build more fields outside the stadium and a hospital.

It could have clearly given the stadium a world-class look and feel.

Ironically, the designs were given to the City of Harare for free.

If mediocrity could be sold, the city fathers could have been billionaires by now.

But Rufaro Stadium does not have to look as swanky as the majestic Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Cote d’Ivoire.

It can just be as simple yet sophisticated as Huye Stadium in Rwanda.

Our country cannot solely revolve around politics, which is precisely the reason council spurned Sakunda’s offer.

Being one who does not have a stomach for mud wrestling, Sakunda just took its money and walked away.

This is reminiscent of a previous offer that was made by Savanna to spruce up the Market Square Bus Terminus years ago.

The council just spat at Savanna’s face.

And the result: It now looks like a graveyard than a terminus.

The same can be said of Gwanzura Stadium, or any other council facility for that matter, including their offices.

They need to be rescued from themselves.

Until next time.

Peace!

Yours Sincerely,

Bra Shakes.