Construction work has commenced at the historic Kirigiti Stadium near Kiambu town after the National Government released Sh590 million to upgrade national stadiums across the country.
The ground breaking ceremony was attended by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed and attended by Kiambu Governor James Nyoro, Kiambu County Commissioner Wilson wanyanga, County Commander Ali Nuno, and Sports Kenya chairman Fred Muteti.
The contractor said the works will take seven months.
The CS said that the 16,000 capacity stadium will be built to international level.
It will have two basketball courts, a swimming pool and an amphitheater, netball and volleyball courts, a football pitch and an athletics track.
Mohammed said the stadium has a history of modern Kenya and the renovation will help youths and sports men and women to have a ground for their sporting activities.
“The President has insisted that stadiums must be done for the youths of the country. The youths must have a ground to grow and develop their talents,” said Mohammed.
She said that the youths will be given work during the construction.
“The youths should own and protect the stadium during its construction as they will be given jobs. Make sure that nothing goes wrong with the project and support the contractor. It has happened elsewhere and it cannot happen here,” she said.
Constructed by the colonial government as a cricket ground, the stadium hosted the last meeting to emergency in 1954 held by the founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
It was here that former President Mwai Kibaki and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga held the last rally to campaign for the new Constitution, which was voted for overwhelmingly through a referendum.
In the run up to the 2013 elections, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto were at Kirigiti where special prayers were held in their honour.
Governor Nyoro said that the stadium will help decongest stadiums in Nairobi.
“The stadium has led to opening up of roads within Kiambu and it will be beneficial to the county,” said Nyoro.
Nyoro said the county government has also injected money to rehabilitate grounds in all 60 wards, even the public grounds that are shared with schools.
He said that the sports department is planning to set up a sports academy at Muguga forest so as to develop and grow talents in Kiambu County.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in late September this year, while officially opening the upgraded Nyayo National Stadium, said the government is the on the verge of completing the construction of Jamhuri Sports, Leisure and Entertainment Park in Nairobi as well as the upgrading of sporting facilities in Eldoret, Marsabit, Meru, Chuka, Kisumu, Nyeri, Makueni, Wanguru in Kirinyaga and Kirigiti in Kiambu.