Embu Stadium miraa-chewing den, Kinoru racing against time

A general view of the Embu Stadium on July 9, 2020. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


What you need to know:

  • Governor Martin Wambora, who had sponsored the Ingwe visit was optimistic his government would accelerate the final touches at the stadium which was then under renovation.
  • The county government started building the ground from scratch in 2013, erected a perimeter wall, constructed terraces, dressing rooms, ablution blocks, VIP stand and had promised to complete the canopy for the terraces
  • Today, the stadium situated along the Embu-Nairobi road, 130 kilometres north of Nairobi, has deteriorated and has now temporarily been turned into a muguka (khat) market, turning away athletes and other sportspeople
  • Meanwhile in Meru County, the contractor rehabilitating the Sh900 million Kinoru Stadium is rushing to beat the July 15 deadline to hand over the facility to Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed

  • Toddy Civil Engineering Company has increased its workforce from 100 to over 300 people, and are currently working from 8am to 10pm, with various sub-contractors handling different departments


Early in January 2017, Kenya Premier League giants AFC Leopards lit up Embu Stadium as they easily beat Embu County FC 3-0 in their first pre-season friendly.

Though the home team lost to the fancied stars, local residents were thrilled by the prospect of Leopards turning the strategically positioned stadium into their home ground, and hope was palpable.

New Leopards coach Stewart Hall had paraded an array of stars, among them two foreign and several promising signings and spent a week training in Embu.

Governor Martin Wambora, who had sponsored the Ingwe visit was optimistic his government would accelerate the final touches at the stadium which was then under renovation.

The county government started building the ground from scratch in 2013, erected a perimeter wall, constructed terraces, dressing rooms, ablution blocks, VIP stand and had promised to complete the canopy for the terraces.

There were also plans to lay a tartan track, increase terraces and canopy on the terraces which would be strong enough to support solar panels for the floodlights among others.

At the time, several top Kenya Premier League sides — like Tusker, KCB and AFC Leopards – had expressed interest in making the stadium their home turf due to its proximity to Nairobi.

However, due to the long delays in completion of the facility, the KPL giants lost interest and nothing much has happened since the promises made in the election year.

Today, the stadium situated along the Embu-Nairobi road, 130 kilometres north of Nairobi, has deteriorated and has now temporarily been turned into a muguka (khat) market, turning away athletes and other sportspeople.

Kiosks where people sell various items to muguka traders who operate inside Embu stadium on July 9, 2020. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


Youths gather at the terraces to chew muguka as they watch the beautiful town from a vantage point.

The traders are going against set health guidelines in the wake of Covid-19 and many do not wear face masks or wash hands, are huge repellent to sportspersons who usually train while observing social distancing.

The majority of the athletes from the various clubs and disciplined forces like the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and Kenya Defence Forces, are now preferring to train early in the morning when the traders are away.

When we visited the stadium early one morning, only one professional athlete, George Weru, who competes in the 400 meters hurdles for the National Police Service was in training.

George Weru, a 400 hurdles sprinter stretches inside a cleared portion of Embu stadium on July 9, 2020. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


At the VIP pavilion, several food vendors were splitting firewood to prepare assorted meals to sell to the large number of muguka traders expected in the afternoon.

Besides them, a man was sweeping the previous day’s garbage and collected a heap that he set on fire nearby.

Muguka traders go about their activity inside Embu stadium on July 9, 2020. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


“The stadium should not be used for other purposes like selling miraa. The department of Trade should take that up. Otherwise, we are going to declare it unfit,” protests Embu County Assembly Youth Empowerment and Sports Committee chairman Nathan Kariuki Mwari.

He says the stadium was supposed to have been taken over by the national government which is also building stadiums in other counties, but has not yet happened.

Kariuki says the stadium had been allocated Sh15 million this year, but the amount was slashed to Sh2 million due to budget cuts necessitated by Covid-19 pandemic and was used to do the drainage.

He says they are keen on improving the stadium to international standards, but regrets that budgetary constraints may hinder the intention to complete the work. Already, the exotic grass that briefly carpeted the pitch in 2013 is no longer there and has been replaced by wild weeds and shrubs.

Litter at the terraces inside Embu stadium on July 9, 2020. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


We spotted a small section that had been trimmed before the lawn mower broke down.

County Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chairman Charles Njagi admitted that the grass needs to be removed to enable the pitch to host professional matches. He appealed to the national government to complement the efforts of the Embu government and finish the remaining work.

The stadium has served as the home ground for Yate, Kaa Ngumu, Inter Dunga, Triumph and Kirimari FC playing in the district league and could be used by Dummen Orange FC Kenya which is playing in Division 2. Embu is well known for its high altitude training advantage and every two years, “Team Kenya” cross country teams retreat to their Kigari camp, constantly using the stadium for speed work training.

Former Paris Half Marathon champion Morris Munene, Caroline Nyaguthii, who represented Kenya in the Africa Championships, and race walk legend Grace Wanjiru, among others, train here. Former world 10,000 metres champion Charles Kamathi, currently based at the Itabua Police Station, also spares time to take youngsters through their paces at the stadium.

Meanwhile in Meru County, the contractor rehabilitating the Sh900 million Kinoru Stadium is rushing to beat the July 15 deadline to hand over the facility to Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

The freshly painted terraces at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County on July 10, 2020. The facility is undergoing a Sh900million rehabilitation and Sports CS Amina Mohammed has set a July 15, 2020 completion deadline. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


Toddy Civil Engineering Company has increased its workforce from 100 to over 300 people, and are currently working from 8am to 10pm, with various sub-contractors handling different departments.

Amina had on June 26 issued an ultimatum to the contractor, saying President Uhuru Kenyatta was keen on officially opening the stadium by the end of July, and thus wanted the works completed by then. 

According to Nelson Munene, 90 percent of the work is already completed though most of it was the delicate part that required precision, especially laying tiles in the luxurious VIP rooms which was at 50 percent by Friday.

He said they had painted the stands, were replacing gutters and some roofing around the stadium to stop water from damaging the walls and the exercise was “at 25 percent” while the ceiling in the VIP block was also nearing completion.

A painter at work at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County on July 10, 2020. The facility is undergoing a Sh900million rehabilitation and Sports CS Amina Mohammed has set a July 15, 2020 completion deadline. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


A different company is also laying cabro around the stadium with works standing at around 70 percent.

Munene was abundantly cautious on the promise to hand over the turf to Amina by July 15, saying they were working a day at a time.

“Everything is under control and so far, so good. We are trying our best and hope that we will beat the deadline. It is a tight timeline but we are trying our level best. We are doing whatever we can do. I think by then, probably the work should be roughly 95 percent done and hope it will be a good work,” he said.

The company had also asked those who could have their employees working round the clock to do so but the majority are closing at 10pm.

Only those doing welding are working on a 16 hours shift from 8am to midnight since they have floodlights.

The company which is also rehabilitating Kirubia stadium in Tharaka Nithi has, however, scored in quest to enhance gender balancing in employment at their construction sites.

Workers undertaking the Sh900million rehabilitation at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County lay pavement blocks on the outer side of the facility on July 10, 2020 as the July 15, 2020 deadline set by Sports CS Amina Mohammed nears. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP


Munene added that a water treatment plant that will help irrigate the stadium and supply water for other use had been completed and only laying of water lines remained.

He said the main challenge was the turf that needed to be replaced as it has to wait for the main repairs round the pitch so that it can be laid.

However, the sub-contractor doing the turf Gregori International Company had yet to report to the work station, though he could not start until cabros laying around the pitch was completed.

“We are keen to start by Monday. The company has a court case and they have not yet come in. It is an international company based in France.

“However, it does not affect the timelines because what is remaining is replacing the turf. They have already done the irrigation system and the only thing left,” explained Munene.