Events That Risk Being Affected By Kasarani Stadium Closure

The Kasarani Stadium, located within the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) will be out of bounds for members of the public for up to one year as it undergoes renovations ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba oversaw the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, December 15 to kick off the renovations with the refurbishment of the 60,000-seater facility commencing immediately.

The Ministry of Sports aims to meet the Confederation of African Football (CAF) recommendations and fulfil their Sports Infrastructure Master Plan through this refurbishment.

The government had initially closed the facility after opening tenders to improve the stadium, alongside Nyayo Stadium, also in Nairobi and Eldoret’s Kipchoge Keino in July before opening it up for events again.

Sports Cabinet Secretary, Ababu Namwamba and other officials during an inspection tour of Kasarani Stadium on December 15, 2023 ahead of renovations. /MINISTRY OF SPORTS

The Sports Ministry revealed that it had already settled on a Chinese contractor who will conduct comprehensive refurbishment.

“This stadium is almost 40 years old, it has not undergone major rehabilitation for a long time and when the CAF inspection team visited, we agreed on a number of interventions and improvements that would upgrade this stadium to a level where it can meet the required international standards,” stated the CS.

“I am pleased to announce that the contractor is ready and they will be undertaking a major overhaul of this stadium. All activities of any nature will not be allowed. It will be closed while the construction goes on.”

According to the CS, any other activity will not be allowed at Kasarani, with the closure affecting some major sporting events that take place at the stadium.

Among them is the Kipchoge Keino Classic, an annual event that brings together both local and international athletes, though the CS revealed that the government has already identified alternative sites for the important event to take place as the construction goes on.

A number of Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) matches that would be held at the Kasarani Stadium also risk being affected.

It is worth it to note that 20-time league champions Gor Mahia have been banned from using the stadium following the chaos that ensued on Saturday, November 11 during their FKF Premier League match against Murang’a Seals.

The football club was also ordered to pay Ksh1.9 million in damages caused when their fans damaged seats during their confrontation with their counterparts of Murang'a Seals.

The 40-year-old stadium will undergo a comprehensive overhaul, including improvements to the canopy, terraces, changing rooms, washrooms, media centres, lighting, drainage systems, the introduction of coded seats and the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) booths, among other state-of-the-art advancements.

Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum expressed the ministry's commitment to transforming Kasarani into a world-standard stadium within the next 12 months.

“It is expected that this contract will last for only 12 months beginning today [Friday]. We are looking at speed, quality and that we are getting stadia in this country for the first time that speaks to what football in the world requires,” said Tum.

The renovation project, led by the Kenya Defence Force and executed by a Chinese corporation, is expected to adhere to high standards of timeliness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Inspectors from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) visited Kenya in July to check on the state of stadia in the country and visited Kasarani, Nyayo and Kipchoge Keino which have been earmarked to host the tournament when Kenya stages it alongside neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.

Kasarani and Nyayo failed the last inspection test conducted by CAF in 2021 with Sports Kenya highlighting what needed improving on the facilities.

Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania won a joint bid to host the 2027 African Cup of Nations in September this year. 

The organizing committee will determine the allocation of games among the three countries based on their respective infrastructure and accommodation capabilities.