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Cabinet Secretaries Soipan Tuya (Defence) and Salim Mvurya (Sports) on Monday were caught in the crossfire of local politics during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Thika Stadium in Kiambu County.
What was meant to be a milestone event ushering in a modern 10,000-seater facility instead exposed simmering political tensions in the county,.
The ceremony quickly descended into a political showdown between Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a and leaders allied to Governor Kimani Wamatangi.
Tension flared from the outset when the Cabinet Secretaries were taken on a tour of completed traders’ stalls constructed by the county government, with supporters from rival camps trading insults and shouting at one another, prompting security officers to intervene and restore calm.
When she took to the podium, Ng’ang’a launched a scathing attack on the governor for skipping the event.
“Wamatangi, you are a coward. You ran away. You had to send people to me. Next time, come and we face each other,” Ng’ang’a roared.
The MP further declared that the new stadium would host national celebrations and warned the governor against sending representatives to future events.
“Just know I’m the incoming governor,” she said amid cheers and booing from rival supporters.
Deputy Governor Rosemary Kirika, who represented the governor, said Wamatangi had been delayed by unavoidable circumstances.
She emphasised that the stadium project symbolised cooperation between the national and county governments and noted that several county-funded facilities at the site would be preserved.
“Honourable Ng’ang’a, I want to assure you that Wamatangi is not a coward. We pray that this meeting is not turned into a political gathering; this is strictly a development meeting,” the deputy governor hit back.
The two Cabinet Secretaries sought to steer the gathering back to its development focus, assuring residents that the region would benefit from the government’s nationwide sports infrastructure programme.
Mvurya dismissed claims that traders’ stalls near the stadium would be demolished.
“The money used to construct the said stalls is public money, and we are not here to put into waste. Those spreading the propaganda should stop,’’ Mvurya said.
we are also doing an academy in Kimuchu here in Thika as a way of supporting the young people,” Mvurya said.
Tuya echoed the call for unity, warning leaders against turning development functions into political battlegrounds and affirming that technical support from the Kenya Defence Forces would ensure the successful delivery of the project.
“The work of the Kenya Defence Forces is to support the sports ministry with technical support. We also know there is a basketball court, a swimming pool and over 600 stalls which were constructed by the county government, they will all be incorporated here,” Tuya reiterated.
Also present was East African Legislative Assembly MP Maina Karobia, who welcomed the development, saying it would boost sports growth in the region while urging the government not to demolish facilities used by local traders.
Despite the heated exchanges, construction of the stadium is expected to proceed as scheduled, with officials promising closer collaboration between the national and county administrations to ensure timely completion.
