Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Wednesday proposed a unique way to end the issue of stadium development and maintenance in the country.
Murkomen, while appearing before the National Assembly on Wednesday, September 23, said Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was the way to go since there is currently no budgetary allocation towards developing stadiums.
While sharing his reports on the progress of different stadiums across the country, the CS disclosed that there were consultations with the Council of Governors on the possibility of collaborating with the private sector to maintain the newly- constructed stadiums and complete stalled projects.
"We are reviewing the sports policy to know how best the private sector can improve stadiums," he said.
According to the CS, since the government was struggling with budgetary allocations, the most plausible way to keep stadiums in peak condition would be to surrender them to private investors.
Murkomen cited England as a classic example, noting how the only state-owned stadium was the famous Wembley, which mainly hosts international matches and cup finals.
"I think the government should not be owning stadia," he added. "All over the world, the government doesn't own stadiums because it is an unnecessary burden on the taxpayer."
Murkomen added that the Ministry was reviewing was exploring ways of collaborating with the private sector to enable them to construct modern infrastructure.
With Kenya set to co-host the 2025 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in February alongside Tanzania and Uganda, there is added pressure on Murkomen's docket to have infrastructure ready.
The Nyayo and Kasarani Stadia will be Kenya's host venues, with President William Ruto promising the facilities will be ready by the time the competition kicks off on February 1, 2025.
Murkomen's sentiments came just days after the government was dealt a blow by the High Court, which declared the Privatisation Act of 2023 unconstitutional.
The ruling effectively brought to a halt Kenya Kwanza's plans to privatise 11 parastatals.
