The closure of Bukhungu Stadium for renovations in preparation for the 2024 CHAN, scheduled for September, has prompted Kakamega Homeboyz FC to seek an alternative home ground to host their remaining matches of the campaign.Work at the historic Bukhungu commenced on Thursday, with the removal of grass on the playing surface being one of the main activities. This also marked the end of the stadium’s usage for this FKF Premier League campaign.##NAJAVA_MECA_7899423##“We need to work on the changing rooms and improve the drainage system of the pitch, and we also have terraces being constructed. Those are some of the items, among others, that have been highlighted by CHAN as the irreversible minimum requirements,” Kakamega County Governor Fernandes Barasa said in an interview.“We have tasked the technical teams to work on the nitty-gritty because we aim to highlight the importance of completing this stadium, at least for the purpose of hosting CHAN. By the end of this week, we are going to submit a report to the ministry.”The facility has been Kakamega Homeboyz’s home ground for years, and the final match they hosted at the facility was against Kakamega Homeboyz, ending in a barren draw on Sunday. Their remaining home matches will have to be played elsewhere. President William Ruto announces plan to reform Sports Fund, makes more promises in Kiptum’s sendoffBut what are the options for Kakamega Homeboyz? A return to the nearby Mumias Sports Complex would have been the easiest option for Patrick Odhiambo’s men, but the facility is not in good shape at all. At the moment, a couple of National Super League matches, women’s Premier League matches, and lower league matches are staged at the facility, and if Homeboyz are to host games there, it will require a quick facelift, which at the moment looks highly unlikely.Bukhungu Stadium #FootballKE pic.twitter.com/ouzeYXyN4J— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) February 22, 2024 Jomo Kenyatta Mamboleo Stadium in Kisumu is another viable option for Homeboyz. The distance between the two towns is an hour’s drive, and with no league team currently hosting their games at the facility, Mamboleo could be a good option for the club. The stadium hosted the CECAFA u18 games in December, including the final between Kenya and Uganda, and is currently in a good state to host Homeboyz for the remainder of the campaign as their home ground gets renovated. Another option is Nzoia Sugar’s Sudi Stadium. The facility is equally an hour’s drive from Homeboyz’s backyard, and it is one the club could look to use if local rivalry between the two Western clubs does not come into play.“We are looking at a couple of stadia in this region, and we are going to get the most suitable one. The good thing is that we knew the stadium would be closed, and behind the scenes, we have been putting measures in place to ensure that we have a place to host our games. We will have a venue soon,” a club official told Mozzart Sport.Homeboyz’s next home league assignment is against Ulinzi Stars on 10th March.Akhulia cautions his charges ahead of Karatina showdown
