ZPC Kariba optimistic of Nyamhunga switch

Sport
ZPC Kariba are optimistic they will be playing in front of their football starved fans come end of August as renovations to their home ground reach final stages.

CASTLE Lager premiership debutants Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) Kariba are optimistic they will be playing in front of their football starved fans come end of August as renovations to their home ground reach final stages.

By Brian Nkiwane

But a visit to the half a million dollar stadium renovations project in Kariba by this publication revealed that it might take longer than expected for Kariba football fans to watch their team playing in the topflight this season.

While ZPC Kariba, Kariba Municipality as well as Teebox Construction Company remain optimistic the venue will be ready for use at the end of August, a closer look at the amount of work done so far shows that much still needs to be done.

Speaking to Standardsport, ZPC Kariba spokesperson Fadzai Chisveto said the organisation had on Wednesday last week paid the outstanding amount which had stalled progress at the venue which will see the contractor finalising most of the work. However, Chisveto admitted progress had been stalled due to cash flow problems.

“We are looking forward to shifting back to our usual venue by the end of next month. I am sure some of our remaining home fixtures will be played in Kariba in front of our football starved fans. ZPC has so far paid close to US$650 000 for the renovations of the stadium which belongs to Kariba Town council. Progress had been stalled due to cashflow problems which the company was facing but I can assure you that final touches of the renovations will resume soon,” she said.

Chisveto said due to cashflow challenges, ZPC had made a payment plan that would see them paying the remaining part of the total payment which amounts to US$100 000 in installements spread over two weeks.

“On Wednesday we made part payment of the remaining US$100 000 which we are going to spreading over a period of two weeks. This will be the final payment which we owed whoever is doing the job.” Renovations at the stadium include construction of the precast wall which she said was almost 85% complete, the perimeter fence, changing rooms as well as attending to grand stands and the turf. “After renovations are done, I think our stadium will be one of the best in the country,” she added.

Kariba Town Council Chamber secretary Richard Kamhoti concurred with Chisveto, adding that the contractors, Teebox had resumed work.

“I am sure by the end of this month everything will be done. Yes as Kariba City Council we told ZPC Kariba that we were going to appoint the contractors ourselves to do the renovations to Nyamhunga Stadium. Renovations had stopped due to cash flows but I can assure you everything is up and running now,” Kamhoti said. The most important areas that Kamhoti said were yet to be worked on are the grand stands.

“As you can see the precast wall is almost complete. The only problem is that the remaining part of land is a bit swampy so it needed underground pinning. This is what has been holding us. As for the perimeter fence, everything is almost there, the poles are there and what is left is to put the fence. From there, then we move to the grandstands which I feel is not a big job as well as putting final touches to change rooms which need plumbing connections and the turf which I think will be the best in the country.”

He however dismissed allegations that after getting a lump sum from ZPC, they diverted the money to other council projects including paying salaries.

“It’s true the money came in large sums but we never diverted it to other uses.”

Contacted for comment, a Teebox Construction company official kept on saying that he needed clearance from Kariba Town Council. Repeated efforts to get a comment from him hit a brick wall when he later told this publication that the town council had told him not to say a word.

“I have talked to Kariba Town Council and they have told me not to comment on this particular issue,” he said.

However, speaking from the site, one of the workers said they had shelved putting the perimeter fence to allow the completion of the precast wall with wild animals in mind.

“It does not make any sense at all to put the perimeter fence before the precast wall is complete. Wild animals are always here so the bosses are afraid that they might vandalise the fence. So we have to finish the precast wall first,” said one worker.

ZPC Kariba were promoted into topflight league after winning the Northern Region Division One Championship but were forced to relocate to Gwanzura for their home games to pave way for renovations at their home ground in Kariba and also make sure that it meets PSL requirements.