Wait a minute, Kitui County has no stadium! Just unkempt grounds

A general view of the Musila Garden Playground in Kitui County. PHOTO | MUNEENI MUTHUSI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Majority County chief whip Kivunzi said that Governor Ngilus leadership has been known by only one thing; Drama and art of passing the back every time challenged to show what she has done as the County CEO.
  • “Show me any other project she has done since she took over as Kitui Governor” he posed before proclaiming with a ready answer to his question “Zero, she has done nothing and when challenged she is all over passing the back”

There is no stadium in Kitu County. Area teams playing fkf division 2 and Kitui county football leagues have one choice, to borrow a standard playground from neighboring Schools or play at sub standard pitches.

The only available public playground for the area youth is Kituis Ithookwe showground at the outskirts of Kitui town.

There is also Musila garden in mwingi town which does not even confirm to the rules of the football game measurements regulations.

For instance, one corner is two meters’ shorter than the required standard, the two goal posts does not face each other as it should be.

Musila garden playground as it is now, is not qualified to host competitive football games because besides being small in is small in terms of required football measurements, the pitch is also substandard.

Musila garden does not even have a space for a running track.

Area youths who may want to pursue athletics should either choose road running or shelf off their ambitions altogether.

The current county government campaigned on a platform of positively nurturing talent of youth through construction of three modern stadiums and modernizing playgrounds in the county.

The three areas named for the proposed construction of modern stadiums were Mwingi town, Mutomo and Kitui town.

As sports practitioners wait for modern stadiums which their leaders promised during election campaign, it seems Kitui county government have since shelved the idea altogether.

This was reveled when musila garden at Mwingi town was fitted with new perimeter fence and gates branded with Kitui County colors and the County minister in charge of sports announced the they have renovated Musila garden. 

However area sports practitioners faulted the “renovation” saying it has left the playground worse than before.

They argued that those given the renovation contract should have consulted the people who use the ground (sports practitioners) before commencing with the “renovation” work which has left the pitch more dangerous to players through poor workmanship.

FKF southern branch treasurer Swaleh Mohammed Ngaku “Kauka” said that the only visible “renovation” at Musila garden was that its gates were branded with colors of Kitui County. “Kauka” said that the said “renovation” has confirmed their fears that Musila garden was never made to be a playground for area youths but political gathering ground.

He said that the stones cemented with concrete on the touch lines around the pitch which were left bare are dangerously to football players. “This field hosts FKF division 2 games and therefore the “renovation” should have done professionally putting the safety of players first.

He said as FKF branch official, he should have been consulted or asked views about the mode of renovation. “We just saw unknown people doing work; there was no notice board of information about the nature of the work being done, the people doing the work etc, we just saw people erecting stones on the playing service touch line” he said.

However, sports CEC koki Musau “Kuvasila” said that Mwingi people should be grateful for the renovation work that has modernized and changed the stutus of Musila garden to the best. 

About the modern stadiums which were promised by the County Government, the Sports CEC popularly known as “kuvasila” said that the plan of building three stadiums is still on their development card.

“Governor Ngilu still believes that one way of nurturing talents of youth lies in constriction of standard stadiums where they will nurture and expose their god given talents. That pledge is still in the Governor’s tray and mind.” he said. 

He blamed the Kitui County inability to construct at least one modern stadium on the area MCAs arm twisting tactics. He said that the County Assembly had refused to pass budgetary allocation ear marked for this purpose. This was however sharply rebutted by most MCAs interviewed.

Majority County chief whip Kivunzi said that Governor Ngilus leadership has been known by only one thing; Drama and art of passing the back every time challenged to show what she has done as the County CEO.

“Show me any other project she has done since she took over as Kitui Governor” he posed before proclaiming with a ready answer to his question “Zero, she has done nothing and when challenged she is all over passing the back”