Sports Kenya top brass believe players and coaches have every reason to love the Nyayo Stadium field because of its superb grass pitch.
In an interview, SK chairman, Fred Muteti, said spectators will now be able to savour football action from vantage positions. Muteti sang praises of the groundsmen, saying: “They have done a splendid job and the Stadium is in a great shape.”
He noted that the only thing now left is the laying of the tartan track which is still at the procurement stage. Muteti said the contractors at the venue are racing against time to complete renovations and get the 30,000-seater ready by the end of the month.
Muteti said the pristine nature of the country’s second biggest stadium is a major boost to sporting industry. The Sports Kenya supremo is excited that the stadium renovations will be completed by September 1, just in time to host the Nairobi Continental Tour on September 26. The event was initially set for May 2 but it was pushed forward due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Speaking on site, Muteti also underscored the fact that the striking beauty of the main entrance, which is laden with tinted glass and the general nice looking view, had changed the face of the facility.
“The VIP pavilion looks good, the changing rooms are in good shape and we are now doing final touches everywhere. The seats are also in good shape. What’s left is just the tartan track which is in the process of procurement. So within a month time, we will be fitting the tartan track and Nyayo Stadium will be new again,” said Muteti.
He said laying of the tartan will take less than a week. “Laying of the tartan doesn’t take much time. Remember the one iat Moi Stadium, Kasarani was completed within three days. We will advertise for the remaining work at the basketball gymnasium and swimming pool. Renovations of the rooms in the swimming pool and work at the basketball gymnasium will also be done in due course.”
Nyayo Stadium was closed down in 2017 for renovation ahead of the 2018 African Nations Championships, which were later moved to Morocco.
The stadium was briefly opened to host a Kenyan Premier League match between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards in August 2017 then closed again for renovation. It was then partially reopened for Beyond Zero Half Marathon on March 8 and February 11 for former President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi’s state funeral.