Ruto: Jubilee will deliver stadia
What you need to know:
- The Jubilee administration had promised to build new stadia during their campaigns in 2013 but none has since been completed
- Ruto now claims the works for the sports infrastructure is on course but has been delayed due to contractual issues and the 2017 repeat elections
- Lack of stadia continues to affect sports teams and athletes the only proper sports facility in Kenya is Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani which was constructed in 1987
Deputy President William Ruto has promised the Jubilee government will keep their promise of building five stadia before the 2022 General Elections.
The Jubilee administration had promised new stadia as part of their development agenda for sports during their campaigns in 2013 but none has since been completed.
Ruto claims construction works are on course but there has been delays due to contractual issues and the 2017 repeat elections.
“We made a lot of commitments which included a new railway system, roads, stadia amongst others and we have delivered on most – actually eight out of 10. I agree that not much has happened on the stadia issue but most of the times people speak as if William Ruto was supposed to look for money from his own pocket to build stadia!” said Ruto in an exclusive interview with NTV on Thursday at his residence in Karen.
“The stadium in Wote is there, the stadium in Moyale is there. All the stadia in all those places we promised are under construction it's just that we couldn’t finish in good time due to issues with contractors in some of the places like Nyeri and others. Such cases go to court and take a while and that derails the process. We also went into a repeat election and spent Sh15 billion which we had not anticipated – this is all taxpayers money that should ideally have gone into such projects,” he added.
Ruto is confident the stadia will be completed by 2022.
“We also promised the Express Way and construction was commissioned by the President (Uhuru Kenyatta) just the other day. A few other programmes are also underway and a delay really doesn’t mean that we lied to Kenyans. The stadia will be ready before the next elections,” he said.
Lack of stadia continues to affect sports teams and athletes the only proper sports facility in Kenya is Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani which was constructed in 1987 and is desperately in need of a facelift.
Nyayo National Stadium is also yet to be fully re-opened three years after it was closed for refurbishment.
