With no stadium in the country given the green light to host international football matches after November, Senators were up in arms over the dire situation of stadia in the country.African football governing body, CAF partially allowed the Nyayo National Stadium to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar qualifiers with the rest of the facilities failing to meet all the requirements.After the clash against Rwanda, Kenya will have no stadia fit for hosting an international football match leaving Gor Mahia and Tusker FC in limbo should they qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.Sen @Aaroncheruiyot seeks a statement from the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on the state of stadia in the country.On the Statement the Committee should: #BungeliveSEN pic.twitter.com/xCsbTIRKfe— Mzalendo (@MzalendoWatch) November 2, 2021 Speaking at the floor of the Senate, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen highlighted the sorry state of Kamariny Stadium that was scheduled for completion in early 2018.“Look at the problem of Kamariny Stadium were more than 3,000 athletes are training around Iten, there was a contractor given a little amount of money to start the project and now the place is dilapidated, athletes cannot train and footballers cannot play,” said Murkomen. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei claimed that three stadia in three separate counties have used Ksh23 billion but there was little work done. The risk of banning FKF will put us into a serious problem with FIFA – @scherargei #BungeliveSEN pic.twitter.com/rlqDjMJKVA— Mzalendo (@MzalendoWatch) November 2, 2021 “The Sports Sadia in Kisumu, Kirigiti in Kiambu and Wang’uru in Kirinyaga have gobbled Ksh23 billion but there is nothing to show for it, they have not even met FIFA standards,” said Cherargei.On his part, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot sought a statement from the standing committee on Labour and Social welfare on the state of stadia in the country.He asked the committee to state the location of all government-funded stadia and the status of compliance of the said stadiums with standards set on the international bodies for holding international sporting events. He also sought to know why contraction works being undertaken in stadia in Kirinyaga, Kisii, Kakamega and Uasin Gishu counties are on course while other counties continue to stall.We have a problem in the Ministry of Sports and Management of Sports in this Country, we put little resources in the sports sector – @kipmurkomen #BungeliveSEN pic.twitter.com/QsvaX4fC8x— Mzalendo (@MzalendoWatch) November 2, 2021 Most senators who spoke were eager to know whether the stadia under construction meet the international standards to hold sporting events. They are also also seeking answers from the Ministry of Sport on the measures if any that the Ministry has undertaken in upgrading the Nyayo and Kasarani Stadium to international standards following the ban by CAF for failing to meet the minimum requirements.
