Sports CS Ababu Namwamba states that the sports sector will experience temporary discomfort as the ministry addresses the long-standing issue of stadium infrastructure in the country. All major stadiums in Kenya are currently closed for renovations.Moi Kasarani Stadium, Bukhungu Stadium, and Nyayo National Stadium are undergoing renovations in preparation for the 2027 AFCON, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania. Additionally, the government is constructing a football-only stadium, Talanta Sports City, at Jamhuri Sports Grounds.##NAJAVA_MECA_8124132##Due to these renovations, Kenya will host its June 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and the Ivory Coast in Malawi. Some athletes aiming to qualify for the Paris Olympics may have to undergo trials outside the country, as the available Ulinzi Sports Complex is not World Athletics-certified. Only Nyayo and Kasarani are WA-certified venues.Ababu defends his ministry, stating that the current venue challenges result from decades of neglect. He acknowledges that teams and athletes will endure the inconvenience for long-term benefits. The CS made these remarks after inspecting the ongoing construction at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi, Bungoma.”I know Kenyans have many concerns about the state of our stadiums,” he stated. “Kenyans are worried about our national teams playing away from home, but this is the price we pay for 60 years of neglect.”Kenya Police Bullets win maiden WPL title after demolishing Zetech”For a long time, this country failed to invest sufficiently in our sports facilities. We built Nyayo and Kasarani Stadium 40 years ago and then neglected them. Even in your home, you need to refurbish it occasionally, or it will start leaking.”He emphasized that the two oldest facilities could no longer function properly and needed to be closed for renovations. He assured that both stadiums would reopen at the end of the year.”Nyayo and Kasarani are 40 years old. They have reached a point where they cannot function properly anymore, and that is why we closed them. They are undergoing major refurbishments and will reopen by the end of this year,” he added.”By the time we reopen Kasarani and Nyayo, which I inspected a few days ago, they will meet the highest international standards. We have to endure temporary pain to fix these decades-old issues, but once we are done, we will have a permanent solution to our stadium challenges.”Onyango backs Police to whip Leopards in Mozzart Bet Cup semisThis is the new Masinde Muliro Stadium, Kanduyi in Bungoma County. Today, Saturday, 25.05.2024. We are rolling out our well-thought Sports & Creatives Infrastructure Masterplan, a first in Kenyan history. The Plan sorts three targets: International level stadia like the new… pic.twitter.com/iIS8tnpZSt— Hon Ababu-Namwamba, EGH🇰🇪 (@AbabuNamwamba) May 25, 2024 Masinde Muliro Stadium, which will host the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1st, is far from being finished. The CS promised that the facility would be fully upgraded to meet FIFA and CAF standards.”We aim to upgrade the surface to an international-level playing surface with the right grass and irrigation system,” the CS added. “Everything that CAF and FIFA require will be achieved here at Kanduyi Stadium. Resources have been allocated, everything is on track, and we want to see international events hosted here,” he concluded.The construction at Kanduyi is a collaboration between the County Government, the Ministry of Defense, and the National Youth Service (NYS).Ulinzi boss opens up on league run as third Cup title beckons
