By Sharon Chimenya
MASVINGO is set to host the 2026 Zimbabwe National Disability Expo this June, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa expected to attend as the guest of honour at Mucheke Stadium.
The Expo is held annually on a rotational basis. In 2025, it took place at Chinotimba Stadium in Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North, with the theme, “Accelerating Disability Inclusion Now: A Collective Responsibility.”
The Disability Expo has gained international recognition, with teams from South Africa confirming their participation.
It serves as a platform for public and private organisations, innovators, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to showcase inclusive solutions and promote accessibility.
In February, a delegation from the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture and Disability Expo stakeholders toured Mucheke Stadium and made recommendations for upgrades.
According to recent minutes of the Health, Housing and Environmental Services Committee, the local authority has granted free use of the stadium and is set to expedite refurbishments in line with universal design standards before June.
“Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing and Social Services, Simbarashe Mandishona, on the preparations for the 2026 National Disability Expo to be held at Mucheke Stadium in June 2026. It was reported that the Government has designated Mucheke Stadium as the venue for the 2026 National Disability Expo, and the City of Masvingo has been directed to actively participate in the preparations for the occasion,” read the minutes.
“Following the tour of Mucheke Stadium on 26 February 2026 with representatives from the Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution, the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, and Disability Expo stakeholders, members agreed that the Disability Expo will be hosted at Mucheke Stadium in June 2026. It was reported that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, has been confirmed as the Guest of Honour for the Disability Expo.”
Regarding the stadium assessment, the local authority was urged to reduce the height of the perimeter fence to about 1.5 metres to improve safety for persons with disabilities.
It was also reported that the entrance and other areas within the stands should be compacted or paved to ensure smooth and safe movement for wheelchairs.
On the accessibility of toilet facilities, it was reported that new disability-friendly toilets should be constructed, as the current facilities are inadequate and the urinals are positioned too high for persons in wheelchairs to access.
The city council was also encouraged to add a pitch entrance gate on the eastern side to improve access and crowd flow.
Other recommendations included improving the sports court surfaces, upgrading the lighting system, constructing ramps, enhancing the greening of the stadium, and repairing the damaged perimeter wall.
As the Expo is a national event, the committee noted that the State Occasions Committee would lead the preparations; however, it highlighted the need to equip the two boreholes drilled at the stadium in 2025.
The Acting Director of Engineering Services, Kudzaishe Mbetu, was instructed to prepare a report on the cost of equipping, solarising, and procuring irrigation equipment for the turf.
“The committee resolved to recommend that the request by the Government for free use of Mucheke Stadium for the 2026 National Disability Expo, to be held in June 2026, be granted. That council expedite the refurbishment of Mucheke Stadium to comply with universal design standards before June 2026.
“That the Acting Director of Engineering Services be instructed to prepare a report on the cost of equipping, solarising, and procuring lawn irrigation equipment for Mucheke Stadium and submit it to the Committee for consideration,” read the minutes.
The National Disability Expo is one of two major events that Masvingo City is expecting to host this year, followed by the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo in September.
