Stakeholders want Mombasa to hand the stadium to the national government for renovation

Football stakeholders in Mombasa have skeptically welcomed plans by the Mombasa County Assembly to ensure the Mombasa stadium’s renovation is completed this year.

However, the stakeholders have asked the county to show more commitment through action and not just words. The renovation has stalled for more than a decade despite the allocation of Sh1.2 billion for the works.

On Sunday, Mombasa County Assembly speaker Aharub Khatri announced that they will work with MCAs from the county to ensure the stadium’s renovation is completed and ready to host local and international matches.

“We have agreed with the MCAs that in 2024, things will be different. The first thing is to ensure the Mombasa stadium is completed,” Khatri said.

He spoke after the Kitui Flour Mills-sponsored Shibe Fest Beach Soccer tournament at Pirates Beach.

Speaking at the same event, Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki, said he would work with the County Assembly to ensure he brings more money to the county so that the stadium can be completed

“I will move a motion in the Senate that will help us get a conditional grant to complete that stadium,” Faki said.

The Senator said Mombasa has missed out on hosting Afcon 2027 because of the lack of a standard football pitch.

However, Football Kenya Federation’s Gabriel Mghendi said the county must show its commitment by allowing the national government to step in and hasten the work.

Mghendi said: “If they want to show their goodwill to the people of Mombasa and the Coast region, they must hand over the Mombasa Stadium to the national government for renovation.”

The FKF National Executive Council member representing the Coast region said the national government has all the resources to conduct the work and is more than willing to step in.

“Ababu Namwamba’s Sports office has the resources and the goodwill to make it happen. If they get the go-ahead, that stadium will be completed in no time,” Mghendi said.

Mghendi, who sits on the Afcon Local Organizing Committee, said it is not too late to have Mombasa host some of the matches during the 2027 Afcon that will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

“All the stadia that will host the Afcon matches are working with the national government. They benefit from renovation works by the national government.

“Kericho Stadium and Mambo Leo Stadium in Kisumu were rehabilitated by the national government, why is it so hard for Mombasa to take the same channel?” Mghendi posed.

Last year, Sports PS Peter Tum revealed that the Ministry of Sports, through Sports Kenya, had offered to do the renovations at the Mombasa Stadium but the county leadership then under Governor Hassan Joho rejected the assistance.

Sports Kenya Director General Pius Metto then said they are ready to work with the Mombasa County government to help complete the renovations that have stalled for about a decade.

He said Sports Kenya checks on the quality of all stadia, whether under the county governments or the national government.

“For Mombasa stadium, we came in as Sports Kenya and the former regime refused our input. They are even holding our tartan track there which has not been used to date,” said Metto.

On Tuesday, Mghendi said the Speaker has very positive ideas that must be backed by the county to help the talents at the grassroots.