Marondera Municipality has unveiled plans to revamp Rudhaka Stadium, the home ground of FC Hunters, in preparation for the team’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) debut.
The municipality is working closely with FC Hunters officials to upgrade the facility to meet the minimum requirements for PSL matches.
Rudhaka Stadium has its strengths, boasting a secure perimeter wall, toilets, running water, and a fence surrounding the pitch.
However, glaring deficiencies include the absence of a tunnel connecting the dressing rooms to the pitch, a media room or press box, and a VIP section.
The lone grandstand, where everyone mixes and mingles, is a far cry from the modern stadia Zimbabwean fans deserve. Moreover, the pitch-side tower lights, with their rusty metal objects, pose a ticking time bomb, threatening the safety of players.
Marondera Municipality Spokesperson Kudakwashe Tapfumanei is optimistic about the council’s plans to revamp the stadium. “Council and FC Hunters formed a technical committee to assess the refurbishment needs of Rudhaka Stadium,” Tapfumanei told Fanzone. “The renovations are being conducted in phases, with the goal of completing all major improvements before the start of the PSL season.”
The council’s collaborative approach is evident in their meetings with FC Hunters officials, focusing on necessary refurbishments and stadium leasing. “Upgrading Rudhaka Stadium is a key project identified during the recent Council strategic planning workshop,” said Tapfumanei.
A joint technical committee, comprising council and FC Hunters representatives, will lead the refurbishment efforts, working closely with ZIFA to ensure that the stadium meets PSL standards.
”Council has conducted several formal meetings with officials from the FC Hunters Football Club following the club’s interest in using Rudhaka Stadium as its home ground,” Tapfumanei says. “During the discussions, the primary focus was on the necessary refurbishments for the stadium.”
Tapfumanei also highlighted the significance of the FC Hunters-N’ombeyaora partnership which was officially sealed a few days ago. “Although Council is not privy to the governance architecture of FC Hunters football club, it is excited about the potential sponsorship of FC Hunters. “Council envisions generating substantial revenue through the hosting of PSL matches, which will enrich the local economy and bolster tourism, stimulating business growth across various sectors,” added Tapfumanei.
Responding to concerns about the stadium’s readiness with the PSL season only a month away Tapfumanei revealed that a joint technical committee is already in place. “A joint technical committee, as already alluded to earlier, will be leading the refurbishment efforts to ensure that the stadium not only meets but exceeds PSL standards. The technical committee is responsible for identifying and planning immediate, actionable renovations needed to improve the stadium, and will work in coordination with ZIFA,” said Tapfumanei.
The promotion of FC Hunters to the Premier Soccer League is poised to reignite community interest in soccer and sports overall, fostering economic activity within Marondera and its hinterlands. “With aspirations to adopt Rudhaka Stadium as their home ground for the upcoming Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign, the residents of Marondera, along with avid soccer fans, will once again have the thrilling opportunity to witness high-stakes PSL matches in their own community,” Tapfumanei emphasized.
Tapfumanei believes that coming in of the Premier Soccer League to Marondera and its environs will definitely be a springboard to fight the drug and substance abuse scourge that has gripped Zimbabwe. “With aspirations to adopt Rudhaka Stadium as their home ground for the upcoming Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign, the residents of Marondera, along with avid soccer fans, will once again have the thrilling opportunity to witness high-stakes PSL matches in their own community, rekindling a vibrant sporting culture that will improve leisure activities, ultimately helping to reduce drug and substance abuse, particularly among the youth,” added Tapfumanei.
As renovations gather pace, Marondera residents can look forward to witnessing high-stakes PSL matches in their own backyard, rekindling a vibrant sporting culture that will improve leisure activities and reduce drug and substance abuse, particularly among the youth.
With the technical committee working tirelessly to ensure Rudhaka Stadium meets PSL standards, the future looks bright for FC Hunters and Marondera soccer.
