Good News in 2014, for Bomet.
In a few months to come, Bomet just like Nairobi among other counties, will have a newly built stadium to host athletic competitions.
Now, this is a plus for the county as the stadium is said to meet international standards of sporting venues, though the project is still in its initial stages.
The project is set to occupy a 6 acre piece of land fomerly used for farming by residents, who of course, leased plots from Bomet Municipal Council.
“The county government identified the plot as a suitable place to put up a stadium, and the first phase of the construction is ready,” said Mrs Eddah Biegon, the County Executive Committee member in charge of Housing and Urban Planning.
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The County Executive Officer further added that the construction is part of a plan to establish enough public physical amenities in county.
Mrs Biegon believes that the stadium will pave way for the development of a public park as well, in the county.
“The current field in town will be converted into a public park, as it is not suitable to be a stadium,” Mrs Biegon said.
The field occupies a small space in the middle of the town, hence that would not be ideal for a stadium.
The park will be set within the town while the stadium on the outskirts of the area but strategically within Bomet County.
According to the technician overseeing the construction- Simon Chelule, if all goes as planned the track should be ready for use in two months’ time.
“Once we have achieved the desired level, we will work on drainage and then the track will be laid,” Chelule said.
He further hinted that most of the material to be used is locally available, therefore, it will take a short period to lay the eight-lane track believed to attain most of the IAAF standards .
The Housing and Urban Planning County Executive reveals that the county is seeking corporates to support the project and at the moment, tea producer- James Finlays, has promised to construct one pavilion in the new stadium.
However the stadium will have four pavilions with one being reserved for VIPs while the rest will be for the general public.
“Several companies are optimistic about supporting the new stadium though currently, James Finlays’ promise is almost a reality because all they are waiting for is for us to show them where to put up the pavilion,” Mrs Biegon said.
The new stadium will also be used to host major football, handball and volleyball matches in the county .
It will boost the image of sports in the county, which is home to world renowned athletes like former World Cross-Country champion William Sigei, 3000 metres star Mercy Cherono, steeple-chase Paul Kipsiele Koech and Emily Chebet among several other athletes.
In 2012 the government set aside 10 million to construct an athletics track in Mogoma, but the project stalled in unexplained circumstances that may be attributed to embezzlement of funds, according to sources.
The county government also intends to construct a new athletics camp at Tegat in Bomet East though, it is not explained why the Mogoma project is incomplete.
