Speed up! Echesa urges Kipchoge Keino Stadium contractors

Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa is confident Eldoret’s Kipchoge Keino Stadium will soon be ready for use, but has urged the two contractors on the ground to speed up works.

The eastern wing of the stadium, being built by China’s WIETEC Company, is 90 percent complete while works that Kenya’s Shiv Construction Company is handling are at foundation level.

The renovations at the stadium stalled for almost two years with the contractors complaining of lack of payment from the government.

“We are here, as the government, to inspect the ongoing project and we have agreed with the contractors to speed up the stadium works so that it can be ready for use as we continue sourcing for more funds,” said Echesa on Friday when he inspected the stadium.

The CS also said his ministry has a plan to tap talents from the grassroots level and the stadiums under construction will be of good use once completed.

He said they will concentrate on the facility before moving to other projects.

“The north Rift region is known of athletics and other sports and we would like to see more events held here as part of encouraging youths to participate in various disciplines.

“That is why I have instructed the contractors to speed up the works and deliver the facility within the shortest time possible before we move to another project,” said the CS who was accompanied by Sports Kenya officials and Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno.

Works on a four-storey block, that will house a VIP lounge, offices, dressing rooms and other facilities, only went on as far as the foundation block.

Toilets and the parking lot are yet to be constructed.

WIETEC Company had been initially awarded the tender to construct the VIP pavilion, terraces, changing rooms and parking lot.

But terms changed when Kenya was stripped of hosting rights of the Africa Nations Championships football tournament some of whose matches were to be held at the stadium.

Echesa also toured the proposed site for a second stadium with the Uasin Gishu County Government appealing to the CS to assist them in funding the project.

Echesa then proceeded to the Kamariny Stadium in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, to assess progress of the stadium’s reconstruction.

Chemno said they will support the national government in making sure Kipchoge Keino Stadium is complete in good time.

The county government also hopes to reconstruct the 64 Stadium in Eldoret at a cost of Sh200 million.

Chemno also said the county government has 26 acres of land they wish to negotiate with the Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Prisons Service to help secure and extend for the construction of another stadium.

“We have a readily available piece of land where we want the national government to construct another stadium when the Kipchoge Keino Stadium is done,” said Chemno.

The deputy governor pointed out that the 2016 Olympics Games trials saw the Kipchoge Keino Stadium packed beyond capacity, saying that demonstrated how much sports was loved in the region.