Government commits to complete stalled Marsabit stadium

Sports cabinet secretary Ababu Namwamba on Monday issued a four-week timeline for the completion of the first phase of construction works at Marsabit Stadium.

The CS  said he was keen to oversee the completion of the stadium in the county saying President William Ruto remained committed to the completion of the project.

Ababu called for a joint approach in the implementation of the project to ensure that the first phase of the construction is completed in four weeks.

Speaking when he toured the stadium, the sports minister revealed that his ministry would ensure the completion of Marsabit stadium.

"We are going to sit down with the county government of Marsabit and Sports Kenya so that we put our heads together and solve the challenges to ensure that we complete this facility in the shortest time possible," he said

According to the CS, the pitch at the stadium has not been done to the standards the artificial track is peeling off.

He asked the contractor to draw a new program of work that is going to specify every task and milestone until the stadium is complete.

The CS said the abundance of talent of the local youth would be tapped as the facility would offer an avenue for them to train and develop their abilities.

The cabinet secretary expressed deep appreciation to the county government and assured Governor Mohamud Ali of the ministry collaboration in every way possible.

He hailed the county's residents for recognizing Governor Mohamud's visionary leadership qualities, emphasizing that their choice will undoubtedly set the stage for a prosperous future.

The CS affirmed that President William Ruto had placed immense trust in Governor Mohamud Ali.

Governor Mohamud Ali, who accompanied the CS, said that the completion of the stadium will bring immense benefits for Marsabit's people, especially the youth who will use it to nurture and develop their sports talent.

He hailed the visit by the cabinet secretary as a demonstration of the commitment to the project.

The governor said the stadium is a significant project that holds great potential for the county and is expected to serve as a hub for sporting activities.

The county boss said the project co-founded by the two levels of the government reflects their joint commitment to promoting sports and recreational opportunities for the people of Marsabit.

The governor said the delay was denying the county the opportunity to host national events and called for cooperation between the two levels of the government for the project to be completed expeditiously.

He hailed the consideration to have a sports academy established at the stadium noting that it will go a long way in identification and nurturing of local sports talent.

"Marsabit is very eager to have a world-class facility in the county. The talent among the youth will be identified and harnessed to enable them to generate money out of their talent once the stadium is completed," he said.

Governor Mohamud said that the stadium will not only help in promoting sports in the county but will contribute to the economy of the county through various business opportunities brought about by the facility.

" This facility will bring together tens of thousands of people who will be spending money in our county. The stadium once completed has a standard pitch, racetracks, recreational facilities, changing rooms and VIP rooms among others," said Governor Ali

He promised to work with the national government to ensure the work was completed within the set timelines.

The stadium was commissioned by former president Uhuru Kenyatta in mid-2017 and was poised to be the biggest sports facility featuring a modern changing room, spectator terraces and a VIP terrace.

The county government contributed to the construction of a multimillion Marsabit stadium by allocating Sh78 million out of Sh373 million in the first phase of the construction.