Nestled at the foot of the picturesque Nyambene hills, Maua Stadium sticks out like a sore thumb.
Its perimeter wall, built in 2003 courtesy of the Constituency Development Fund is in sorry state and some stones are falling off. The entrance resemblance a war zone.
Whenever it rains pools of water form making the stadium appear like a riparian area.
The stadium, in the heartland of Kenya’s miraa growing zone of the populous Igembe region in Meru County, has been the subject of several upgrade promises.
The most famous was during a campaign tour of the region in 2017, when former President Uhuru Kenyatta promised a Sh300 million facelift. Sadly, that never materialised.
FKF Eastern region NEC member Murithi Nabea says official records indicate that the stadium should lie on nine acres but only sits on 4.6 acres.
A boy grazes a cow inside the flooded Maua Stadium, Meru County in this photo taken on March 24, 2023.
Photo credit: Charles Wanyoro | Nation Media Group
Nabea, who was a member of the CDF board that erected the perimeter fence, says the land issue presents a major problem for the facility. It is not enough to accommodate a standard stadium.
Nabea proposes that the stadium, situated in the second largest municipality in the county, be improved to host leagues or alternatively it be relocated.
“When we erected the perimeter wall, we were trying to secure what was available and see if the lower leagues could get revenue. The land itself is not large enough to accommodate a good stadium that can hold KPL matches. If you set up the inside perimeter where the football pitch is, the distance to the sitting area is not enough,” he said.
Nominated MCA Ruth Kananu, who has been supporting Gitura FC, Kilalai FC and Maua United FC, says the county government has this year allocated Sh4.9 million for rehabilitation of the stadium.
“The contractor would have already been on the ground were it not for ongoing rains. Work will start as soon as the rains subside. The contractor will do proper drainage and some facelift,” said Kananu.
A flooded part of the Maua Stadium, Meru County in this photo taken on March 24, 2023.
Photo credit: Charles Wanyoro | Nation Media Group
Youngsters from Kangeta, Mutuati, Laare, Maua and other parts of the miraa belt have been congregating at the stadium to watch and play the game.
Nabea says Igembe South has over 30 football clubs but the poor state of the stadium is demoralising the youth as they do not have a proper facility to stage matches and even for practice.
A flooded football pitch at Maua Stadium, Meru County on March 24, 2023.
Photo credit: Charles Wanyoro | Nation Media Group
Maua United FC, which has won the county league twice, would ideally be using the stadium to host their home games. But because of its deplorable state the club has been forced to use Amwamba Primary school ground, some seven kilometres away.
Igembe South FKF chairman Paul Gitonga says the youths are eager to kick off the season and are looking for sponsorships.
However, the region is crying out loudly for a decent stadium.
Tomorrow: Nyeri’s Kamukunji ground , from a venue that hosted volleyball’s best players to an unkempt village market
