By Leopold Munhende
PROPHETIC Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries head Prophet Walter Magaya has entered into a partnership with Kadoma City Council that will see his Heart Group rebuild its forgotten Rimuka Stadium.
Once a battle ground for Zimbabwe’s top teams, Rimuka Stadium has been left in derelict state since its official closure in 2008.
The last local team to use it was Eiffel Flats before Black Rhinos registered it as their home in the Castle Lager premiership.
Terraces are now falling off, the dressing room is in a sorry state and its pitch is now just well cut grass from being ranked third best at the ground’s peak.
The perimeter wall also needs to be replaced.
Total costs, to bring the stadium to acceptable standards which compete with other towns and cities, will be around US$4 million according to Kadoma Mayor Nigel Ruzario.
“After this stadium’s reconstruction we hope to see top teams play here as was the case some time back and is the case in places such as Harare.
“Kadoma is the only city in Mashonaland West and as such it is necessary that we have proper facilities.
“We need about US$4 million to rebuild this stadium and are hopeful that what wr lle have seen in Harare at The Heart Stadium or what is happening at Chahwanda Stadium in Kwekwe can be replicated here.”
Magaya owns The Heart Stadium in Waterfalls, Harare, home to his Yadah FC which plays in the Castle Lager premiership.
He is currently building another ground, The Heart Main Arena in Kwekwe. This one will be known as Chahwanda Stadium in reference to his business partner.
“We are partnering with the Kadoma City Council to revamp Rimuka Stadium and ensure it meets the required standards set by football authorities,” said Magaya.
“As the Heart Group, we are fully committed to this project and ready to begin renovations as early as tomorrow.”
Zimbabwe suffers from a dire shortage of respectable, usable and top notch stadia.
Each season, teams either have to share facilities or travel hundreds of kilometres for usable stadia as was the case with ZPC Kariba at the beginning of last season.