Report Card: Counties yet to fully implement devolution on sports

Kamariny Stadium in Elgeyo Marakwet. [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Although some counties have made impressive strides in sports infrastructure development, many of them still lag behind.

Machakos, Meru and Kisii stand among few counties to have improved stadia in the last decade of devolution.

In Kisii, the 10,000 capacity Gusii Stadium has a football pitch with an underground drainage and irrigation system.

The stadium has been renovated in a partnership between the county and national governments. Phase one of the stadium was fully funded by Kisii County.

In Nyamira, no athletics track has been done, no funds have been allocated for sports development even in the current financial year.

It has been a back and forth business for the Sh 137 million Manga Stadium and Sh64 million had been set aside to complete construction work on it in the 2014-2015 financial year, but only a fence was done.

In Meru, most of the stadia including the 25,000-seater Kinoru Stadium are in good state — except Githongo Sports ground in Central Imenti, where the county government has issues with the contractor.

The main sports venues are Maua Stadium, Maili Tatu grounds and Antubetwe grounds.

Others are Nkubu (Imenti South), Timau (Buuri), Kianjai (Tigania West), Githongo (Central Imenti) and Mwariama (Tigania East).

In Nakuru, Afraha Stadium has been renovated but it now hosts traders. It used to host Kenyan Premier League matches only that the pitch is not playable during rainy seasons.

In North Rift, Eldoret's Kipchoge Stadium has been closed for four years.

Former President Mwai Kibaki directed the construction works during the homecoming party for the triumphant track and field team to 2007 Osaka worlds.

The tartan track is in good condition and it hosted the 2016 Olympic trials.

In Elgeyo Marakwet, Kamariny Stadium is in a deplorable state after the contractor excavated the entire pitch then abandoned it. Last month, contractors at Kipchoge and Kamariny stadiums started construction works.

In Trans Nzoia, sportsmen and women had pinned their hopes on Kenyatta Stadium which stalled despite gobbling up Sh35 million.