Construction works of Olympafrica Centre in Zimbabwe has been halted following an uphill task to relocate informal settlers on the proposed site.
Epworth Local Board(ELB) has faced challenges of try trying to reach into an agreement with the settlers after they were accused of parceling out the land to the settlers who have now vowed not to move until an alternative land is found.
Also Read:Construction of Japoma stadium in Cameroon nears completion
Olympafrica Centre
Construction of the centre was mooted back in 2014 when the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee signed an MOU with the Olympafrica Foundation. The MOU was followed by a proposal made to Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) by Epworth’s Musekiwa Kumbula.
The facility is aimed at giving the citizen a better chance to change their social, recreational, sporting and ceremonial lifestyle. The International Olympic Committee after positive deliberations forwarded an initial US $150,000 of the total of US $500,000 for developments at the centre through Olympafrica Foundation.
“ZOC signed a long-term lease agreement with the ELB in June 2014, which facilitated the sourcing of support to establish a multi-disciplinary sport and cultural centre. The project will be managed by the ZOC and supported by the relevant local authorities and partners. said Anna Mguni, Chief Executive of ZOC.
The Olympafrica Foundation is an organization that supports projects in Africa especially for disadvantaged communities and Zimbabwe was chosen as one of the beneficiaries but a delay from the local authorities in Zimbabwe has seen IOC withdrawing funding for the project. Â
Besides sports facilities, the Centre will offer educational programmes like health-related initiatives, leadership training for the youth and the Olympic Value Education Programmes. Meanwhile ZOC has fenced off the entire proposed four-hectare land while awaiting for ELB to reach a consensus with the settlers.
