Nandi Governor Honourable Stephen Sang has revealed that the iconic Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Kapsabet will be renamed William Ruto Stadium once reconstruction is complete.
Governor Sang revealed this during the inauguration of the new Kapsabet Municipality office on December 8, 2025.
He stated that the decision was aimed at eliminating logistical and identity-related complications caused by the presence of another stadium bearing the same name in nearby Eldoret.
“Because we have Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret and ours is also named Kipchoge Keino, we decided to change ours to William Ruto Stadium here in Kapsabet,” Governor Sang stated. “Sometimes a project is meant for Nandi but ends up in Eldoret because the identical names cause confusion.”
Governor Sang reiterated that the president was instrumental in pushing for resources to upgrade the reason, which was among the reasons they considered the renaming of the stadium.
"We've heard of Moi Stadium and Raila Odinga Stadium. We will name ours William Ruto Stadium because he has done the construction job for us," Sang remarked, highlighting the rationale.
The stadium upgrade is a key part of President Ruto's monumental promise to deliver 25 new and enhanced stadiums nationwide, with all projects targeted for completion by 2027.
According to the president, the central goal was to provide world-class infrastructure that would enable young Kenyans to develop their talents and pursue professional sports careers, forming part of the broader “Talanta Hela” program, which sought to monetize talent in sports and the creative economy, turning talents into sustainable livelihoods.
The projects were a key pillar of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with the construction phase creating direct employment for thousands and the long-term operation of the facilities expected to stimulate local economies, particularly in sports tourism and hospitality.
Another key driver for the project was the need to host major continental tournaments, such as the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which would position Kenya as a global sports powerhouse, attract international attention, and boost tourism.
President Ruto viewed such sporting events as a means to foster national cohesion and pride, with modern, iconic stadiums reflecting the nation’s progress and ambition to achieve “First World” status.
The plan also involved upgrading both national and county-level stadiums to ensure quality sporting infrastructure was accessible across all regions, so that talent could be discovered and nurtured equitably throughout the country.
The Nandi Kipchoge Keino stadium is currently being moved to the Kapsabet Showground to allow for the development of a new ultra-modern, 10,000-seat stadium.
