Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lt. General (Rtd) Anselem Sanyatwe, says government is ready to chip in and ensure the provision of an airport within a reasonable distance to Chahwanda Stadium in Kwekwe.
While standards vary by tournament scale, both CAF and FIFA have set guidelines emphasizing the need to ensure efficient movement of teams and officials.
CAF requires host stadiums to have an airport within a reasonable distance, usually around 200km, to facilitate smooth travel for teams and officials. In addition to airport readiness, the host city is required to have ready 5-star hotels, high-quality medical facilities, and adequate road connectivity.
WHAT MINISTER SANYATWE SAID
Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lt. General (Rtd) Anselem Sanyatwe at Chahwanda Stadium. Picture by Fanzone
Minister Sanyatwe says they will work hand in glove with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for the Midlands Province to ensure the requirements are met.
He made these remarks after completing a tour of Chahwanda Stadium along with other government officials on Monday.
“I think to be precise, here we have provisioned for the sporting facilities past the stadium. Now, when you’re talking of the airport, you’re talking about yet another line ministry. That, to me, is the Minister of Transport,” Sanyatwe said.
“Surely, for that requirement, many initiatives have got to be done, possibly through the ministry, together in close cooperation and coordination with the local minister of state, Honorable Owen Ncube.
“So that we’ll have a two-pronged approach to avail the facility in question. Also, not forgetting the Minister of Mines. So it’s not an answer that should be conclusive from the Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
“We’ll take it on board and we’ll see how best we can do it, and I’m happy the owner of the land is with us here, the Permanent Secretary in the office of our local Minister of State.”
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