Uhuru to Complete Construction of 9 Stadiums in 3 Months

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President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi County for the 5th Edition of the Beyond Zero Half Marathon 2020 on March 8, 2020
PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued Sports CS Amina Mohamed a deadline of three months to complete the construction of nine stadiums in Kenya. 

The President issued the directive while reopening the refurbished Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday, September 26.

Kenyatta indicated that the upgrade of the stadiums had already been funded and expected them to be ready for reopening by the end of December 2020. 

"The upgrade of Nyayo Stadium is not an isolated case. Our endeavour is to ensure our sporting facilities compete with others in the world. In that regard, we are in the process of developing other stadiums across the country. 

A panoramic view of the Nyayo National Stadium as of May 25, 2020
A panoramic view of the Nyayo National Stadium as of May 25, 2020
Capital Group

"We are currently at the process of completing Jamuhuri Park here in Nairobi, in addition to upgrading sporting facilities in Eldoret, Marsabit, Chuka, Kisumu, Nyeri, Makueni, Kiambu and Kirinyaga Counties. We expect these facilities to be ready for commissioning by the end of December this year," Kenyatta directed. 

He added that he was also in discussion with Governors to upgrade facilities in their counties. The head of state indicated that stadiums located in Mombasa, Kakamega, Narok and Kisii Counties will be upgraded to fit stipulated national standards.

The government will also construct a stadium for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at Lang'ata Barracks, Nairobi. 

Kenyatta believed that upgrading Nyayo Stadium was a milestone in cementing Kenya as a sporting powerhouse in the world. 

"We recognise the special place Kenya has within our national lives. And in this regard, sports in Kenya has received dramatic funding and relating state support and concerted improvement of facilities such as those we have witnessed today," he affirmed. 

The President and his Deputy William Ruto have numerously faced criticism over their promise to upgrade and construct stadiums. 

In 2017, the duo had assured Kenyans that the Jubilee Government would construct eleven stadiums in the first six months of their second term. 

Watch Uhuru speak on completing stadium upgrades:

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