Shame of Kenya’s sports infrastructure: Revenue has fallen sharply as clubs have to play far from home

Renovation of Kasarani stadium pitch in progress in Nairobi on February 16, 2018. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

Stadiums: State pays lip service as Gor’s day nears

Nyayo and Kasarani far from complete as Machakos pitch slowly gives in.

Gor Mahia’s qualification to the group stages of the Caf Confederation Cup has brought into sharp focus the delays in refurbishing the country’s two big stadiums in Nairobi, Kasarani and Nyayo.

Gor Mahia will play Rayon Sports (Rwanda), Yanga SC (Tanzania), and USM Alger (Algeria) home and away.

The 16-time Kenyan champions begin away to Rayon on Sunday May 6 before hosting USM Algier 10 days later in Nairobi.

With stringent CAF measures on hosting stadiums, it will be interesting to see how Kenya escapes this latest conundrum.

Kenya was supposed to host this year’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN), but the tournament was taken to Morocco because its stadiums did not meet international standards.

Close to half a year later, Kenya’s stadiums remain an eyesore despite Government assurance of a March 31 deadline.

Local clubs are beginning to feel the impact as they have to take their league matches outside Nairobi.

Worse, Machakos Stadium, which has been the preferred venue, is fast getting overused and will in a few months not be able to host any match.

Renovation of Kasarani stadium pitch in progress in Nairobi on February 16, 2018. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

Despite the Government’s promise that Nyayo Stadium would be ready for use by the beginning of April, renovation of the Nairobi West facility is far from over, as our tour revealed.

Apart from the six dressing rooms that are almost complete and a new security perimeter fence which is also almost ready, the rest of the works seem to require more time.

Planting of grass has yet to start at Nyayo Stadium while the new stands being added in the VIP area are not complete.

An employee of Laxmi International, which is renovating Nyayo, told The Standard Sports that the delay has largely been caused by lack of funds.

“The construction can only go on depending on how we are paid. We need money to buy building materials and if we do not have it, work slows down,” said the employee who did not want to be named.

He said the company had on several occasions reduced the work force due to delayed payment from the Government and this had also slowed down the work.

“When we started we had 120 staff but now this has gone down to half. Sometimes we increase the number depending on whether we have been paid,” he added.

He said the company had asked for an extension of two months to complete the works.

At Kasarani, grass has been planted in a quarter of the pitch and work is being fast-tracked in readiness for a scheduled tour of Hull City to Kenya next month.

A top official at betting firm SportPesa, which is organising the trip, said the firm had been assured that Kasarani would be ready by early May to make the Hull City trip a possibility.

Another facility being fast-tracked is the Moi Kinoru Stadium, which is supposed to host the Madaraka Day celebrations.

Kenyan Premier League giants AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia are among the clubs suffering due to lack of stadiums in Nairobi as they have to play their matches outside the city.

Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier said the revenues had fallen sharply because the club was struggling to meet its obligations.

“One of the reasons the club does not have money is the fact that we have to take our matches outside Nairobi, thus affecting attendance. We want the county government to complete City Stadium so that we can play our matches nearer,” he said on Tuesday when the team visited Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.

AFC Leopards Chairman Dan Mulee also admitted that the club’s revenues had gone down as they had to share the collections on the many double headers at Machakos Stadium.

Renovation of Kasarani stadium pitch in progress in Nairobi on February 16, 2018. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

DOUBLE HEADERS

Sports Kenya Acting Director General Saima Ondimu, however, insisted that everything was on course. She denied that contractors had not been paid.

“Regarding Kasarani, grass has been planted in a big part of the pitch and the facility should be ready by May 13.  We have also done a lot at Nyayo Stadium where grass planting will start soon,” she said.

She added: “Regarding payment to contractors, we are on course and always pay depending on the work done. Furthermore, the process of payment takes a while because it has to be approved at various offices.”