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Parliamentary Committee on Sports chairman Munyaka satisfied with Nyayo Stadium progress
The facility has been undergoing renovations since 2017 and it could be available as early as next week
Renovations at Nyayo National Stadium is set to be completed in the coming week, satisfied Parliamentary Committee on Sports Chairman Dan Munyaka has said.
The stadium has been under renovations for close to three years and Munyaka has confirmed the contractor working at the facility is about to get his work done and hand over it to the government.
The contractor is now racing against time to finish landscaping and drainage as the changing rooms and VIP sections are already done.
Initially, the government had promised the public facility will be ready by the end of May but it has not been the case as the due date has been pushed back by another week.
“The committee is pleased by the progress of the work at Nyayo National Stadium and the assurance that it will be ready by next week has been made by the contractor,” Munyaka told the media during his visit at the Stadium inspecting the progress.
Nyayo's unavailability has made Nairobi teams scramble for stadiums outside the city with Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos and Narok Stadium in Narok County offering their services for the city's clubs.
Tusker have been enjoying home advantage given their ownership of the Ruaraka Grounds, which has undergone renovations and was unavailable in the past.
Moi International Sports Complex has always been designated for Caf Confederation and Champions League matches as well as the Mashemeji Derby, an encounter between arch-rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.
Nyayo Stadium, when available, has always been preferred to Kasarani to host the Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards clash.
Posta Rangers coach Sammy Omollo, in an earlier interview with Goal, explained the importance of the availability of Nyayo Stadium, especially for the city clubs.
“We have had a problem with availability of grounds and in such situations, everything is always in a mess. Most teams are located in Nairobi and their home ground is usually the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos,” Omollo said.
“Most times you see AFC Leopards going all the way to Bukhungu Stadium or Mumias Sports Complex while Posta Rangers, after training in Nairobi, go to Narok Stadium and Gor Mahia will always have to travel to Kisumu to host matches.
“In all these scenarios there is no home ground advantage for teams. These are the things that have affected our leagues for sure.
“Having a ground in the city centre is very good especially for Nairobi teams because it will greatly cut the cost of travelling to stadiums located in far-flung areas. I am happy Nyayo will be back soon.”
Nyayo Stadium, opened in 1983, has often been used for other national functions as well.
