Wait on Nyayo stadium continues: Sports PS promises Nyayo Stadium will be ready in good time

NYAYO STADIUM PS Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts Kirimi Kaberia (left) is shown the work level by contructor Chandresh Babariya during an Inspection tour of the renovation activities at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday Jan 5, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

 

Clubs feel pinch as renovation continues

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards forced to look for alternative venues for continental assignments.

With delays in the completion of repairs at Nyayo Stadium imminent, Kenyan clubs will find it even more expensive to take part in this year’s continental tournaments.

This comes even as Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have already lost their shirt sponsorships after betting firm SportPesa pulled out owing to a 35 per cent tax imposed on them.

During a tour of  Nyayo Stadium on Friday, it was revealed that the facility will be ready in April.

This means that Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards will have to get alternative venues for their continental assignments as well as Kenyan Premier League (KPL) fixtures.

Gor Mahia Chief Executive Lodvick Aduda confirmed yesterday that the team has settled on Machakos Stadium.

“Only Machakos and Bukhungu stadiums have been approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for continental matches and to cut travelling expenses we have settled on the former.

“However, even playing here will affect the attendance hence the gate collections which now remains our biggest income after the loss of SportPesa,” he said.

Gor Mahia will represent the country in the Champions League this season after emerging league winners last year.

On his part, AFC Leopards chairman Dan Mulee confirmed the club has settled on Bukhungu Stadium for their Confederations Cup matches.

But this could end up to be a very expensive venture as the club will be required to fly their opponents and match officials to Kakamega.

Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia said the delay in completing works at Nyayo Stadium was caused by poor weather and the long electioneering period.

“I am impressed with the work done so far. It has been  confirmed to me that the parking lot will be ready by the end of this month. Generally, the stadium will be ready by the end of March and should host its first match in the first week of April.

“There were delays in September as you are aware it was a period of showers which slowed the momentum of the job. The electioneering period also slowed the human labour as the contractor could not get enough man power,” he said.

Laxmi International, the company that was awarded the contract to refurbish the facility said they have doubled their efforts to ensure it is completed as promised.