Works on Twaifu Stadium in Lamu shelved for lack of cash
Players in action at the Twaifu Stadium grounds in Lamu. The Lamu county government has commenced a Sh50 million construction and upgrading of seven key sporting infrastructure projects.
What you need to know:
- Form Three student Swabra first female player in national basketball team
- Money meant for project diverted to fight against Covid-19 and building of seven-a-side pitches
Swabra Abdallah defied the odds to become the first-ever woman player from Lamu to don the national team colours when she represented Kenya in the Africa 3 on 3 Basketball Championships in Uganda, Kampala last year.
The Form Three student at Kaya Tiwi High School was in the Kenyan team that finished third overall after losing to Uganda and Nigeria in tough matches at the Lugogo Indoor courts.
Swabra, 18, honed her skills at the Anidan Children’s Home basketball court - a privately owned facility. Many more talented youngsters may never reach their full potential because lack of suitable public training facilities.
The wait for a modern stadium in Lamu will take much longer because the county government diverted money meant for upgrading of Twaifu Stadium to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and building of seven-aside- pitches for youth football.
However, Lamu County Chief Officer for Sports Joseph Nganga said three stadiums - Twaifu, Faza and Mpeketoni – have been factored in the County Integrated Development for the next five years.
“Our aim is to develop untapped talent in Lamu. We have allocated money to all wards in the county for building of seven-a-side pitches while we wait,” Nganga said.
He said Sh14 million for the construction of the Mala seven-a-side-pitch, which is adjacent to Twaifu Stadium, has been released.
He said one modern stadium will be built next year and the rest will be done in the next four years.
But Football Kenya Federation (FKF) North Coast branch chairman Fuad Ali Adi said the county government should come clean on use of funds since cash has been allocated for the construction of the stadium in the past two financial years.
“Sh7 million was allocated to all wards in Lamu during the 2017/18 financial year, and another Sh5 million each in the 2018/19 financial but we haven’t seen anything on the ground,” Ali who will be defending his seat in the forthcoming FKF elections said.
He appealed to the county government to investigate how the Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) used the money.
Maulid festival
Over the years, Lamu has played host to the annual Maulid festivities to celebrate the birth of Prophet Mohammad. Muslim faithful from all over the world including Oman, England, Germany, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan and West Africa flock to the island town for the event traditionally held at Riyadha grounds.
During the celebrations various events are held including donkey and horse racing, athletics, football and cultural competitions. Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has been leading a delegation of state dignitaries to the fete.
Owing to lack of a decent stadium, the dusty Twaifu grounds is used by Lamu football teams among them Diplomat, Jaws, Horo Horo and Alnasir, who at one time featured in the unified Coast Provincial League.
Among the star players produced at the neglected pitch are former Kenyan Premier League players Ali Kombo, Hussein Langra and Nahodha Ali.
Yahya Athman, a football player in Lamu, said lack of standard stadiums has affected performance.
“We’re forced to play beach football, most of the pitches are sandy. When we travel outside Lamu, we lose matches because we’re not used to playing on a level playground,” Athman said.
