Kip Keino Stadium: A maize sellers’ market

By Joseph Ngure

Eldoret’s Kipchoge Stadium is going to be the first facility outside Nairobi and third in the country to have an artificial turf, thanks to a Presidential directive issued three years ago.

The stadium, allocated 20 acres by Eldoret Municipality, has already received Sh120m and documentation work has been done to give the track a new touch.

The stadium, which is in a state of neglect like other sporting facilities in the country, will be upgraded and would acquire new status, thanks to many world-class athletes who emerge from the North Rift region.

The move follows a directive by President Kibaki when he feted Osaka World Championship team at the venue in 2007 following a request by Athletics Kenya chairman Isaiah Kiplagat.

During the occasion, the Government promised Sh100m and since then a new plan has been drawn and the amount has been released.

"We have done the survey and the soil samples have been taken for analysis. Everything will be done a new," added Lutta, estimating the cost to be in the range of Sh70m and 90m.

In addition to the Sh100m from the Government, the facility benefited from a further Sh20m from other donors through National Olympic Committee of Kenya chairman, Kipchoge Keino.

"The Ministry of Public Works is working closely with Sports Stadium Management Board and the work will commence this financial year," the architect said.

Perimeter wall

Apart from putting the tartan on the eight-lane track, the perimeter wall and the gates will be re-done afresh and the changing room expanded to the required standards.

"Part of the money would be used to purchase equipment and repairing the stands, some of which are almost falling down.

And to ward off potential land grabbers and secondary activities taking place around the stadium, the council plans to fence off the entire plot as it works on the master plan that will incorporate other sporting ventures.

If the stadium will be upgraded, the council hopes to generate income to maintain it and the big number of athletes in the region will have a standard facility that would help them in their preparations for international assignments.

But the region would have been ahead from the rest had the plan by Qatar Government to put up a multi-million shillings sports complex materialised.

The plan, bogged down by local politics, is yet to be implemented but the council said it is in the dark over the issue.

"The Qatar issue is out of our hands. We are not aware what is happening or whether the plan is still on course," said Lutta, who is involved in designing structures within the municipality.

The council also has no present plans for second stadium (64) that is normally used for political rallies and public holidays.

During this year’s World Tourism Day, Tourism Minister Najib Balala said the Government had set aside Sh110m to rehabilitate two stadiums in the North Rift to promote sports tourism.

According to the Minister, Kipchoge Keino Stadium would get Sh100m while Kamariny in Keiyo North district will get Sh10m.

This would make the Kip Keino Stadium more useful to athletes than maize dealers who dry and sell maize in the external part of the stadium.

Many athletes prefer training at the Chepkoilel Campus ground because it is better looked after than the stadium.

The stadium’s main entrance is usually locked because it is blocked by maize traders. Inside, offices are dirty and window glasses broken. Toilets are blocked and pose a health risk as human waste is exposed.

Yet this is the stadium, which hosted many league matches in the 1980s.