Shock as Chinese worker found dead at Talanta Stadium

A Chinese worker has been found dead at the construction site of the Talanta Sports Stadium in Jamhuri, Nairobi, prompting a fresh police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Officers confirmed the foreigner was found unresponsive in a toilet block on the stadium grounds. Security personnel stationed at the site, which remains under construction, raised the alarm.

According to preliminary reports, a chef working with the Chinese management team discovered the body on Tuesday morning. Security officers and other workers responded to the scene before the man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police later examined the location as part of ongoing inquiries. While the cause of death has yet to be established, investigators noted a minor injury to the right side of the man’s head. His body has since been transferred to Lee Funeral Home for a post-mortem examination.

Suspected cause of death

The Nairobi regional police commander, Issa Mohamud, said that detectives are considering two main lines of inquiry: sudden death or foul play.

This incident follows the recovery of another worker’s body from the same site late last year, raising further concern.

Another victim, 35-year-old Sammy Kyengo, had been reported missing by his wife, Christine Kyengo, after he failed to return home and his phone went silent.

Following a week-long search, his body was discovered, submerged in a concealed water sump beneath the stadium’s terraces. Investigators said that the area had been partially boarded up and that the body appeared to have been hidden.

Police reported visible injuries to the back of his head and neck, as well as blood coming from his nose and mouth.
Speaking after the discovery, his wife said he had been distressed over delayed wages.

“He told me that the company had refused to pay them since July. He wanted to claim his money and leave the job,” she said.

This led to the immediate suspension of construction work, with officers sealing off parts of the site to allow forensic teams to gather evidence.

Family members said they had searched hospitals, police stations and mortuaries for days before learning of his death. Fellow workers reported seeing him on the day he disappeared, but they were unable to confirm whether he had left the premises.

Post-moterm results

A post-mortem examination confirmed that he had sustained injuries to his head and back before his death.

The 60,000-seat Talanta Sports City Stadium (formerly known as the Raila Odinga Stadium), is a state-of-the-art venue under construction to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). It is scheduled to host matches and is under consideration for the opening and closing ceremonies as part of the joint hosting effort of the East African trio (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania).