Zimbabwe: Councillors Fume Over City of Harare's Decision to Lease Rufaro Stadium to Scottland FC

27 March 2025
New Zimbabwe (London)

Councillors have opposed the City of Harare's plans to enter into a lease agreement with Scottland FC over Rufaro stadium, citing that a similar arrangement with the same club at Mabvuku ground had yielded no results.

The deal was a topical issue on Tuesday during the Ordinary Council meeting held at the Town House.

"Scottland Football Club has pledged to further improve the state of Rufaro Stadium and will enter into a lease agreement with the City of Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume.

"Scottland says together with their partners, they will make sure Rufaro Stadium is upgraded to international standards before the end of the year."

However, this was not welcomed by several councillors who challenged City of Harare on why they wanted to have a lease agreement with Scottland ahead of other cooperates who have knocked on the door for the same deal.

Already, the City of Harare has loaned the Number 1 ground in Mabvuku to Scottland who agreed to renovate it, but nothing much has been done on the dilapidated facility.

Councillors questioned why Scottland is being given another deal despite failing to deliver in Mabvuku.

"You leased Mabvuku ground to Scottland, but till today nothing has happened at the facility as we are yet to have a league match being played at the facility.

"So I suggest that we should not give Rufaro stadium to the same partner which has failed a small number 1 ground in Mabvuku," said Ward 16 councillor Denford Ngadziore.

Rufaro Stadium's renovations are yet to meet international standards.

Councillor Costa Mhande said Scottland FC should be leased one of the other dilapidated stadiums in Harare, not Rufaro Stadium.

"As for Rufaro stadium case, I advise that the council should come up with what it wants the stadium to be like, then advertise a tender on who can partner openly.

"We can't just wake up and have Scottland as the only partner, if that is the case they can go and work on other stadiums like Dzivarasekwa and Gwanzura. Why do they want to partner on this facility, which is almost complete?" he said.

In 2022, giant energy company Sakunda Holdings approached council with an offer to have a lease agreement on the facility, but was turned down.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.

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