On January 13th, principal secretary in the ministry of Sports Peter Kirimi Kaberia visited Kipchoge Keino and Kamariny stadium in Eldoret and Iten respectively and gave April first 2018 as the final day for the two facilities to be fully ready for use.
But that promise remains a dream among sports personalities in the North Rift region who heavily depends on such facilities for training and hosting various sporting events.
With April almost coming to an end, the facilities are still under construction, contractors have abandoned the two facilities, putting into question the validity of the promise.
Kaberia, while on fact finding mission was accompanied by Sports Kenya chairman Fred Muteti among other officials.
A spot check at the facility, the phase two contractors have left but phase one contractors, which includes VIP section, dressing rooms, packing lots for 400 cars among others have not yet completed laying the foundation for a four storey facility.
“We have projected all works on the stadium that will end on April. All contractors have assured that the set timeline they will be through with constructions works,” said Kaberia at the facility.
The football pitch grass planting process is not yet planted forcing top football teams in Eldoret to look for a solution elsewhere.
The facility was set to host Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) but it did not happen as Kenya’s hosting rights were withdrawn and handed to Morocco.
Being a region of world known athletes, they have shifted their training base to University of Eldoret (UOE) ground and Moi University, School of law-Annex.
But most affected are top football teams Eldoret Falcons, the women team that competes at the Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) and Global Field Evangelism (GFE) 105 that plays at the Kenya national Super League (NSL).
Falcons, which now leads the KWPL table with 17 points from eight matches plays its home matches at uninspected UOE ground while GFE 105 play their home matches at Sudi stadium, the Nzoia Sugar stadium in Bungoma County.
Falcon chairman Joshua Ariko said the facility should be build on time to help our team play quality football.
“The field we are playing currently is of low quality and that lowers our game,” said riko.
At the same time, he says that he has lost many fans who turned up to watch the team play at Kipchoge Keino stadium.
“We have lost many of our fans and football without fans is nothing. Us getting out of Kipchoge facility has cost the team, which heavily depends on them for facilitation. We rely on fans that pay for players upkeep in the camp and away matches. If they don’t see their team play, they can’t have confidence of supporting us,” added Ariko.