Upgrade work resumes on 2027 Afcon designated venue, Kip Keino stadium
Sports Permanent Secretary Peter Tum (second left) tours Kip Keino Stadium, Eldoret as a caterpillar brings down part of the terraces. Renovation work at the 2027 Afcon-designated venue has resumed.
What you need to know:
- The stadium, which has been under re-construction since 2017, will, at the end of its upgrade, have an entirely now design, and meet minimum standards to host international sporting events.
- On tour of the stadium yesterday, Sports Permanent Secretary Peter Tum said that the government has now shifted its focus to the Eldorest facility which is critical in terms of supporting talents and also for hosting international matches.
The renovation of the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret,, which had stalled for 17 months, has resumed.
The stadium is one of the designated venues for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The stadium, which has been under re-construction since 2017, will, at the end of its upgrade, have an entirely now design, and meet minimum standards to host international sporting events.
On tour of the stadium yesterday, Sports Permanent Secretary Peter Tum said that the government has now shifted its focus to the Eldorest facility which is critical in terms of supporting talents and also for hosting international matches.
A lot of focus has been on the renovations of Moi International Sports Centre and Nyayo Stadium on Nairobi in time for the 2024 African Nations Championships that the three East African nations will co-host from February 1 to 28.
The Kipchoge Keino Stadium renovation is being undertaken by China’s Sinohydro Construction Company under the supervision of the Kenya Defence Forces.
The stadium had been officially handed over to the KDF for renovation on September 19, 2023 but not much has been done since then.
Though Tum did not give the timelines for the stadium’s upgrade, he said that the funds for the renovation were available and there will be no stalling of work this time round.
“We had concentrated so much on the two stadiums in Nairobi and we were very busy working on them because of the African Nations Championships which we are hosting in February. Now that they are almost complete, we are turning our focus on Kipchoge Keino Stadium which has to be renovated up to international standard,” said Tum.
He said they were working under strict instructions from Confederations of African Football and they have to comply with the new design that was suggested by the officials when they toured the facility.
“As we renovate the stadium, we have also to consider renovating the running track which also needs a new tartan track and that will be a blessing in disguise for our athletes because, remember, this region is known for producing some of the best athletes in the world and equipping them with the right facilities in training is our long term plan,” said Tum.
The Sports PS said the government was also keen on improving the standards of the Eldoret National Polytechnic pitch and the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Kapsabet which will be used as training grounds for the 2027 Afcon.
In 2016, Kipchoge Keino Stadium, whose capacity is set to increase from 10,000 to 15,000, hosted the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games that saw the facility packed to the rafters with eager fans.
However, images of a decrepit venue in need of an upgrade prompted the government to promise renovations will be done. But construction has been on and off since then.
Tum also said that 12,000-capacity 64 Stadium, in Eldoret will be used as a training facility for teams during the 2027 Afcon. Renovations work on the venue that has stalled was being undertaken by the county government.
According to Uasin Gishu County executive committee for sports member Lucy Ngendo, the renovation project was 65 per cent complete. She said it was funded by the World Bank and the county government.
Construction stalled sometime in July last year.
