Shame of failed renovation of stadiums in Mombasa County

In 2012 there were approximately 19 football pitches in Mombasa owned by the public.

Fifteen of those were playable and were home to emerging teams at the coast, clubs that showed great potential to grow had they been given a fair chance.

Today, there are less than six playable fields. Out of those, two are government-owned. The remaining four are either private members clubs, or facilities built on private property and are only accessible to a few.

Most of the public playgrounds are either hangouts for drug addicts, or are full of garbage and filth.

The story of football infrastructure in Mombasa is one of failed promises and neglect.

The coast region was endowed with football talent in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and supplied the national football team with quality players.

But over the years, some notable football pitches where players used to nurture their talent have either been grabbed, or have been turned into markets.

In 2017, Mombasa County Governor Hassan Ali Joho launched construction work on a 3,000-seater Uwanja Wa Mbuzi Stadium in Kongowea.

It was to be fitted with an artificial turf and Kenyan Premier League club Bandari FC adopted it as its training ground.

Efforts to get comments from the stadium’s manager were met with threats. Mombasa County Minister For Sport, Youth and Gender did not answer to requests for interviews.

Abubakar Omar Batistuta, coach of local football academy that trains at Uwanja Wa Mbuzi said: “All the leaders in Mombasa know about this field. They have trained here, they know the state of the pitch, I wonder why they have turned a deaf ear to our complaints as talented youth waste away."

Mombasa County Government also set out to install an artificial turf at Uwanja wa Joho Majengo and at Bomu Sports Ground, and later at Kisauni Baptist Grounds.

Five years down the line, work has stalled at Uwanja wa Mbuzi and the artificial turf is torn and is falling a part, while county employees tasked with taking care of the facility continue drawing salaries.

Whenever it rains, the worn out artificial turf posses danger to players who still train at the stadium.

Most of the seats are worn out and are filled with dirt and filth.

It’s the same case with the Bomu Ground. The once- sparkling stadium is now a hideout for of thieves and drug addicts.

Tononoka playground was once home to a formidable Football Kenya Federation Division Two team Tononoka FC but when the Coronavirus pandemic struck, it was turned into a market.

On market days, trucks destroyed the field, rendering it unplayable. Vandals have carted away the goalposts.

Currently, it is mainly used for religious crusades and political rallies.

Seven months ago, the county government initiated a project to renovate the Frere Town football grounds. To date nothing much has been done by way of developing it.

The playing field has been fenced off and the stadium connected to running water but work progress has remained slow.