Mombasa, Nyeri stadium works hit by blame game

The bushy in-field at the Mombasa County Stadium on October 17, 2017. Renovation work at the stadium has stalled with the bushy field now a breeding ground for birds and other small animals. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA |

What you need to know:

  • Renovations at key sports venues delayed by red tape and turf wars.
  • Delays in Ruring’u upgrade as Kenya Power Company differs with contractor over re-routing of electricity lines at venue.

The on-and-off renovation work at the Mombasa County Stadium off yet again and coast sports fans will have to wait much longer to use the stadium five years after it was shut for an upgrade.

The stadium remains totally neglected, has provided a welcome home for reptiles and is also a breeding ground for all types of birds with bushes at least five feet high on what was once a busy athletics and football venue.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Power Company has threatened to issue the contractor at the Ruring’u Stadium in Nyeri with a notice for interfering with a power line that cuts through the stadium.

The row, that is now entering its second month, has slowed down the construction work for the Sh450 million project that was launched on June 19 by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

During the launch, the President urged the Sports CS Hassan Wario to ensure that the facility is completed within the set timelines.

The once famous Mombasa stadium, which has hosted several local and international football matches, including the Atlanta 1996 Olympics qualifier between Kenya and Nigeria, is now a pale shadow of its former self.

Nigeria won the return match in Lagos 3-0 and went on to win the Olympic gold in Atlanta, while Kenyan football continues to nosedive. Mombasa County Government chief officer for youth affairs and sports, Rajab Babu, on Tuesday remained non-committal on when the renovation work would resume and the project be concluded, blaming the delays on a stand-off between the county government and contractor.

“I cannot tell you when the work will resume or how long it will take to conclude because there is a stand-off between the county government and the contractor which must be resolved for him to start conclude the work,” Babu said.

“We wanted to finalise with the playing pitch first before we conclude the track because doing the main pitch later would see heavy commercial vehicles taking the grass to the pitch interfere with the tartan track,” he said.

Babu says the national government did its part by buying and delivering the tartan track, which he says is safely in his custody.

In Nyeri, the impasse sprouted when Kenya Power Company billed the Ruring’u contractor Sh1.4 million as costs of rerouting the power line.

The company’s Mt Kenya region manager Kenneth Chege maintained that the contractor must meet the costs of moving the major line that transmits power to Othaya and other areas.

“We will be inspecting the power line and if there is any interference, we shall give notice to warn the contractor so that in the event there is any incident, he will be held accountable,” said Chege.

He dismissed the contractor’s claims that he was not aware of the power line arguing that there is always a percentage of the project quotation that should cater for such situations.