Lack of funding paints bleak picture of Kilifi Stadium plan

No work has been done at the Kilifi stadium a close to a year since the county government promised to work on it. PHOTO | PHILIP ONYANGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
 

What you need to know:

  • The former St John’s Kaloleni Girls High School star started her football career at seven-years-old. Former Harambee Stars goalkeeper Mohamed Magogo is also from Kilifi. 
  • “Other counties are investing in sports but here there is no sign that anything will come up in form of a stadium soon,” Nzaro said in an a previous interview early this year.
  • He said that at times they are forced to hire stadiums outside the county which is expensive, or they ask permission from Pwani University management to use their field.

From the look of things on the ground, there seems no hope that the Kilifi County government will build a stadium for the benefit of talented football players in the region.

From Kenyan Premier League side Bandari’s Shaban Kenga, Benjamin Mosha and  Khamisi Mwinyi , AFC Leopards’ Said Tsuma AFC Leopards to Harambee Starlets’ Essy Akida, who plies her trade in Turkey with Besitkas, have all learnt their football skills  the hard way.

Politicking caused the relocation of a Moving the Goal Post (MTG)-funded stadium from Kilifi to Ganze in 2015. MTG is a sports development body that got funding from the Germany Government to build a stadium in Kilifi.

The project failed when some politicians opposed it. The stadium was to be built at the MTG football grounds in Mnarani in the outskirts of Kilifi town. MTG Executive Director Dorcas Amakobe said they moved the project to Sokoke Secondary School in Ganze because they didn’t want to be involved in politics.

“We had prepared to build washrooms and drill a borehole. We abandoned the site over political interference,” she said.

Contacted, County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Sports  Anisa Omar said they  have the art work for the proposed stadium in Kilifi town, however, there are no funds.

“With a modern stadium in Kilifi an estimated 10,000 youth stand to benefit,” she said, of Kilifi County which has the highest population at the Coast according to the latest census report, but it remains the only one without a stadium in the region.

Kilifi Water grounds near the town had been proposed as one of the sites for the stadium project which never materialised.

Karisa Maitha grounds was picked as an alternative site, but again no construction was done.The main dais  on the football pitch was blown off by winds early this year.

Kilifi residents’ passion for sports is being frustrated for lack of a stadium. Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi had promised to build an ultra-modern stadium after his first term in office. But years later, the Kilifi Water ground is now a garbage pit, a grazing field for livestock and a parking for boda boda riders.

Former Sports CEC Morine Mwangovya had said that Sh500 million would be set aside for phase one of the project.

Football Kenya Federation Kilifi branch Secretary General William Nzaro said they are unable to hold Kenyan Premier League teams due to lack of a stadium.

Hire stadiums

“Our youth are suffering for lack of a stadium,”  Nzaro said.

Starlets striker Akida is riding high as a professional player but back home there has been no stadium for the nearly 18 years she has been an active footballer. 

The former St John’s Kaloleni Girls High School star started her football career at seven-years-old. Former Harambee Stars goalkeeper Mohamed Magogo is also from Kilifi. 

“Other counties are investing in sports but here there is no sign that anything will come up in form of a stadium soon,” Nzaro said in an a previous interview early this year.

He said that at times they are forced to hire stadiums outside the county which is expensive, or they ask permission from Pwani University management to use their field.