Work at Tennis Kenya Centre to start in April

International Tennis Federation President David Haggerty (centre) with Confederation of Africa Tennis President Tarak Cherif (left) and Tennis Kenya President James Kenani during the official opening ceremony of the ITF East Africa Training Centre in Upper Hill, Nairobi on April 26, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

By  AYUMBA AYODI

What you need to know:

  • The first batch of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the government of Kenya grants have been dispatched
  • Kenyatta said upcoming tennis players and the public should be able to use the facility in the course of this year when the first phase will be completed
  • Tennis Kenya had estimated the construction will take up to five years
  • The first phase of six courts and an administration block that will cost Sh75 million will be completed within a year

Work at the Sh1 billion Tennis Kenya Centre at Kasarani starts April this year, Tennis Kenya (TK) has revealed on Friday.

Tennis Kenya secretary general Wanjiru Mbugua Friday indicated that the first batch of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the government of Kenya grants have been dispatched.

While the government has released Sh30 million to the Sports Fund, Mbugua disclosed the ITF has also released Sh5 million for the project.

Also Read

President Uhuru Kenyatta - who hosted the visiting (ITF) president David Haggerty in April last year at State House, Nairobi - said that he wanted the Tennis Kenya Centre, that is set for construction at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani completed in two years.

Kenyatta said upcoming tennis players and the public should be able to use the facility in the course of this year when the first phase will be completed.

The Head of State disclosed that the Government had allocated Sh30 million for the first phase of the project that will cost Sh1 billion but added that they will review the funding this year with more funds set to be allocated.

The Tennis Kenya Centre will have 24 courts, an administration block and hostels.

Tennis Kenya had estimated the construction will take up to five years with the first phase of six courts and an administration block that will cost Sh75 million, coming up within a year.

“We are meeting the architect of the project tomorrow. We shall also have three more meetings with them to see how we shall work on them since it looks like a costly project,” said Mbugua. “We should have the final design within three weeks.”

Mbugua confirmed that they have already applied for the next grant from ITF and the government this year.

“We don’t want to project to stall immediately we serve off. We must get it right if we are to compete the project within two years as the President indicated,” said Mbugua, who commended President Kenyatta and Haggerty for the passion and drive they have for the project.

While on a two-day tour in Kenya last April, Haggerty, who had opened a regional ITF High performance Centre in Upper Hill, presided over the ground breaking of the Tennis Kenya Centre at Kasarani.

Mbugua said a team comprising officials from Sports Kenya, Ministry of Sports, Sports Fund and Tennis Kenya will be formed to fast track the whole process. “We have had several meetings and for sure everything is falling in place well,” said Mbugua.

The government has donated 10 acres of land worth Sh300 million for the project.

In the headlines