Source: Uhuru celebrations venue works 88pc complete – herald
Emmanuel Kafe in MAPHISA, Matabeleland South
THE main venue for this year’s 46th Independence Day celebrations in Maphisa is now more than 88 percent complete, with critical infrastructure — including the football pitch, terracing, drainage systems, ablution facilities and perimeter works — already in place as the Government races to apply final touches ahead of the national event.
This morning, the Independence Flame is expected to leave Harare for Matabeleland South Province, accompanied by roadshows on the journey.
In Maphisa, a modern multi-purpose stadium has rapidly emerged from what was previously undeveloped bushland, where extensive earthworks, bulk excavation and ground levelling have transformed the once uneven, hilly terrain into a standardised pitch complete with a surrounding track.
The venue will accommodate at least 5 000 people on terraces, with additional capacity expected through tented extensions. Key support infrastructure, such as parking bays, changing rooms, VIP facilities, and full perimeter fencing, has already been constructed.
Authorities say the project is now in its final phase, with completion expected within days to allow for the installation of tents and media facilities — signalling Zimbabwe’s readiness to host yet another successful Independence celebration.
This year’s event, being held in Matabeleland South, reflects the Government’s deliberate decentralisation policy, which ensures all provinces host major national events as a way of accelerating infrastructure development and stimulating economic activity in historically underdeveloped areas.
Site manager Engineer Sean Mukwamba from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works said the scale of works undertaken highlights the Second Republic’s commitment to inclusive development.
“At the beginning, this was a bush; there was nothing here. We started from scratch, clearing the area and commencing works in September 2025,” said Eng Mukwamba.
He said the project required intensive groundwork, including bulk excavation that ran until mid-January this year to level the sloping terrain and create a suitable playing surface.
“Because the ground was not level, we had to carry out bulk excavation to make it usable for football matches,” he said.
Following the earthworks, engineers installed a comprehensive subsurface drainage system, base layers and topsoil to ensure the pitch’s durability and quality. Terracing works commenced in mid-February and are now nearing completion.
Eng Mukwamba said the facility was now equipped with three public ablution blocks, two VIP toilets and fully serviced changing rooms for teams, making it ready to host high-profile national events.
To safeguard the pitch against waterlogging, a state-of-the-art drainage system has been installed beneath the surface.
“We installed a subsurface drainage system with perforated pipes at five-metre intervals to carry water away from the pitch into external drains. We will also have a V-drain to capture surface runoff and direct it away from the playing area,” he said.
He expressed confidence that all work will be completed on schedule.
“In terms of progress, we are well above 88 percent completion. We are targeting to finish by this weekend and begin demobilisation to pave the way for tents and other installations,” said Eng Mukwamba.
The hosting of Independence celebrations in Maphisa is already delivering tangible infrastructure development in the district, in line with the Second Republic’s policy of leaving no place and no one behind.
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