Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba visited the Kipchoge Keino stadium in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County to inspect the progress for the completion of the facility.
Namwamba said the current government is keen on improving sporting facilities therefore this stadium must be built to the standard that is required.
“Uasin Gishu County is rightly called the city of champions, and it’s one of the counties that has given this country an incredible conveyor belt and continuous pipeline of talents,” he said.
Namwamba said that the ministry is working within a clear master plan, as the county must have an international standard stadium where competitions can be done and athletes can train in good facilities.
“We are here to send a message that there is a new way of doing things as this way is very hands on, keen on value for money, and construction of the highest standards facilities possible,” said the CS.
He added that they will continue to work with the two contractors who were awarded the tender by the previous administration and they want the contractors given the responsibility to work in the new order.
“We have chosen to respect the existing contracts but we will not condone the bad manners of doing things haphazardly in the projects and the current administration has a new way of doing things and if the contractors do not live up to the expectations, we will not have you continue with the work,” noted the CS.
“We have tight timelines for this stadium as Uasin Gishu County is hosting the next devolution conference and we are pleased as a ministry that as part of that devolution conference, the county is celebrating the sporting heritage of this region,” he said.
He noted that the stadium is among the Moi International sports centre, Kasarani and Nyayo National stadium identified in the country’s joint bid to host the 2027 African Cup of Nations of East Africa for the first time with neighbouring countries Tanzania and Uganda.
He revealed that next month a team from Confederation of African Football (CAF) will come to check on the preparations.
The CS was accompanied by the Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor John Barorot, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum, Sports Kenya Director General Pius Metto among other officials from the Ministry of Sports.
On his part, Tum said that the ministry will look for funds and they have agreed with the contractors that they are going to speed up their performance to the extent that in the next four weeks it is habitable and then from then they will continue to finish up the rest of the places for the purpose of hosting Africa Cup of Nations.
“We now have an administration which is hands on to ensure all infrastructures that had begun will be completed on time,” noted Tum.
By Judy Too
