Work on Masinde Muliro stadium in Kanduyi, Bungoma County has been intensified to make it ready to host this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations slated for June 1st.
The National Celebrations Committee led by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration Principal Administrative Secretary Anne Ngétich, January 18 made a visit to the County for the first preparatory meeting and to assess various venues that will be used during the event.
The theme for this year’s celebrations is Agriculture and Food security.
The committee was informed that phase one with a 4000 sitting capacity is complete and phase two which entails an additional 4 sitting terraces with a capacity of 20,000 persons is on course and will be completed by March this year.
The scope for phase two also includes the construction of nine guard houses and ticketing booths, the drilling of a borehole for the supply of water, the provision of ramps for Persons with Disability at all key points, and the construction of an additional four ablution blocks under the terraces
Bungoma Deputy Governor Pastor Jennipher Mbatiany who sat in for the Governor said the county stands to benefit a lot from hosting the national event.
The team urged players in the hospitality and trade industry to grab the opportunity and start preparing for the great day.
Pst Mbatiany said that the County has established a technical committee that is working with the National committee to oversee the works, and also sent a team to Kericho where last year’s Mashujaa day celebrations were held to benchmark to ensure that plans go well.
Committee chair, Anne Ngétich said the National committee resolved to mark all important days at the county and sub-county level for unity of purpose.
She said except for Jamhuri day which is celebrated in Nairobi, all the other national days have been devolved to the county and sub-county level.
She asked the committee to plan for everything planned leaving nothing to chance.
She asked the National and County government technical committees to work as a team to make the event a success
The National team includes officials from the Office of the President, the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), the military, and other state departments.
Area MP John Makali who attended the meeting said he will give the committee all the necessary support to ensure the day is a success.
According to Governor Lusaka, Masinde Muliro Stadium was named after the freedom fighter Masinde Muliro, and hosting a national event there will be very appropriate as one way of honoring the fallen hero.
“Masinde Muliro Stadium is a historic ground because it was named after a freedom fighter, Masinde Muliro,” he noted.
The team later visited the Masinde Muliro Stadium, the Bungoma County Commissioner’s official residence, and the Bungoma and Matulo Airstrip to assess the current status and pending works.
By Lumwamu Roseland
