The 76-year-old Afraha Stadium in Nakuru City remains the home of a long-standing record.
On its dusty, murram track in 1993, Robert Kibet ran the fastest 800m time recorded on Kenyan soil when he clocked a hand-timed 1:42.5 seconds.
Three decades later Afraha Stadium is on the verge of having a spanking new blue artificial running track on its ground that could tempt the 59-year-old Kibet, a two-time African Championships Silver medallist to rewind the clock and attempt to equal his record on the very same spot he set it.
Nakuru City Board, which is supervising phase one of the renovation of the stadium says Kibet's record would be preserved for future reference.
“Now that we’re moving from murram track to tartan track this history will be kept in our books at Afraha Stadium so that budding athletes can reflect on what it means to run on a bare earth surface and a modern track,” said Jepta Rono the vice-chairperson of Nakuru City Board.
Rono who is also the vice-chairperson of the finance committee at the board lauded the efforts of Governor Susan Kihika to push for the completion of the stadium.
“When she officially took the reins in 2022, she found a stadium that was incomplete and was not properly funded. She has put more resources that have enabled the renovation work to move pretty fast,” said Rono.
Phase one of the projects involves the construction of two pavilions, underground water tank, irrigation system, construction of power house with a stand by generator and upgrade of the football pitch and a section of the outside perimeter wall..
The home stretch as it appears, on the newly laid tartan track at Nakuru's Afraha Stadium which is currently being renovated.
Photo credit: Francis Mureithi | Nation Media Group
The World Bank sponsored part of the project which started on April 30, 2021. The main contractor is Lexis International.
That renovation work was originally projected to be completed within 18 months for Sh651 million but a consistent delay has seen its cost rise to Sh683 million.
Kenyan marathon legend Ibrahim Hussein who is also a Technical Director of World Athletics, Africa Region made an impromptu tour of the stadium on Monday ahead of its expected opening in June and expressed his satisfaction with the final touches on the tartan track.
“I’m super happy after keenly checking the track and I have established it is a standard track. It is in an advanced stage of being completed in the next couple of months,” said Hussein.
Hussein, a three times winner of the Boston marathon in 1988, 19921, and 1992 and the first winner from Kenya of the New York City Marathon, the largest marathon in the world recommended a few changes.
“I have recommended the triple jump, long jump, hammer cage, and discus areas be put in a vantage position where guests at the VIP stand can view the action,” said Hussein.
He added: “The tartan track needs a little bit of panel beating to make it level. The drainage is fairly good because today it has rained and all the water has sipped into the drainage.”
Laying of the tartan track at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru on March 4, 2024.
Photo credit: Francis Mureithi | Nation Media Group
“The marking of the tartan track is another area that is well done because this is one area where contractors don’t engage professionals to do the marking. But at the Afraha Stadium track things are moving in the right direction and I have confirmed by doing a random measuring,” said Hussein.
He said Nairobi is hosting Afcon in 2027 and Afraha Stadium could seize the moment if it is completed in good time.
“I remember the legendary Kipchoge Keino and I used Afraha Stadium to shape up our future athletics career and I’m happy the stadium will regain its place in track and field,” said Hussein.
Said the former marathon great: “I’m deeply attached to Afraha Stadium as part of my greatness in the world of athletics was launched on this ground and that is why I want it to be completed to international standards and I will come back for the final check.”
“It is very expensive to build such a modern track and this is the assurance of the commitment by the county to improve on sports generally not athletics alone,” said Hussein.
Pearltek, a local company, is laying the tartan track at a cost of about Sh100m
The chairperson of the Nakuru City Board Stephen Muli said the board was rushing against time to complete the stadium on time.
“We want Afraha Stadium to host international athletics meetings and other big games like Afcon and that is why as a board we’re keeping a keen eye on the construction work round the clock and hopefully by June it will be officially opened,” said Muli.
David Otiti the treasurer of Athletics Kenya (AK) Nakuru branch, who ran on the murram track in 1983, said he was happy with the work on the track as international standards had been followed.
