Disband Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB) and devolve functions to counties

It is a fact that most of our main stadia are in poor state despite the existence of a body charged with the development, maintenance and management of sporting and recreational facilities to the satisfaction of stakeholders.

Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB) is in-charge of Kenya’s key stadia like the Safaricom Stadium Kasarani and the Nyayo National Stadium.

Lately, there has been hue and cry about Nyayo Stadium and its playing surface. Kenya Premier League clubs and players have borne the brunt of an uneven, bumpy surface with the latter sustaining injuries condemning them to the sidelines. With most KPL clubs lacking insurance cover for players, matches at the Nyayo Stadium have become risky.

Even with best intentions of the league management body – KPL and official football suppliers Puma at providing balls for use in the league, such playing surfaces negate efforts of improving quality of play.

During the recently concluded Cecafa championship finals, the Nyayo Stadium gave in. After the heavens opened, the usually bumpy ground became soggy and slippery. It was difficult to have decent football going on. To spectators, it was such an eyesore, a master piece of how not to market our sporting facilities around the continent.

It is the same SSMB that allows concentrated foot traffic like the military conducting drills and related activities during the national days, in the process undoing all work – if any – done on the surface and subsequently not allowing turf grass recovery.

SSMB is a state corporation. And with a Jubilee Government that gives lip service to sports especially football matters, you can’t expect much from it. The 5 new stadia campaign promise by this administration now seem distant as never before.

The President mentioned nothing sports in his 45 minute state of the Nation address, one concludes that the activities of SSMB, likewise, don’t appear anywhere on top of this Government to –do list. With an administration suffering from cash crunch and a huge paybill, SSMB will continue to be underfunded as most of its stalled activities suggest.

Monies from Naming Rights on the other hand are paltry to fill the void. Kenyans are thus condemned to these appalling surfaces over the long haul if the status quo is left unchecked.

We need a re-think; let’s devolve SSMB functions to the Counties who seem more receptive to improvement of stadia under their jurisdiction. Machakos, Mombasa and Nakuru Counties are leading the way. Kiambu and Meru Counties are doing a great job with their Thika and Kinoru stadia renovations.

Moi Stadium, Kisumu will shortly boast of having one of the best playing surfaces upon completion with a ban on non-sporting activities like crusades ensuring its longevity.

SSMB’s is a duplication of functions with the counties and in line with this Government latest penchant for cost reduction, what better place to start than disbanding SSMB.

— The writer is a commentator on topital issues