Delays mar c*mpletion of Afraha Stadium

Sporting activities at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium will femain delayed as the construction of the multi-billion-shilling facility currently stands at 30 per cent.   

The first phase of the upgrade to international standards was expected to be completed last month to allow sporting activities to resume this month, but it is not the case.   

Late last year, Nakuru governor Lee Kinyanjui revealed that the Sh 650 million first phase upgrade was set to be complete by May 2022.  

“We expect that by the end of May 2022 the contractor should be able to hand over the project to the county to allow resumption of sporting activities,” Kinyanjui said.   

Currently, the contractor is behind schedule where the running track layering is 50 per cent complete while the ground floor wall at Pavilion A stands at 95 per cent complete.  

Director of sports, Alice Gekonde said that the drainage works at the stadium have already been completed although only 30 per cent of the boundary wall is done.  

She stated that the plastering of pavilion A is 75 per cent complete with the walling of amenities still ongoing.  

“The compaction of hardcore backfill is complete on Pavilion B, and the walling is still in progress,” said Gekonde.  

Cast terraces

She further noted that in the coming weeks, the team will start to cast terraces and finish the wall along the ground floor of Pavilion A.   

“The boundary wall construction will also continue, all this is still being done and there is no cause for alarm,” she said.  

Gekonde, however, called on the contractor to hasten the process stating that the project is still on course.  

“The construction of the facility is in line with Governor Kinyanjui’s promise of promoting sports talents among the youth in the county,” she stated.  

The project, funded by Kenya Urban Support Program is being executed in three phases at an estimated cost of Sh 4 billion over five years.  

The stadium will be able to accommodate 20,000 spectators from the initial 8,000 once the second phase is complete making it one of the largest stadiums in the country after Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium.   

The upgrade of the stadium forced some sporting stakeholders to find alternative sporting grounds including the ASK showground pavilion and the Athletics Club grounds (NAC).  

Upon completion, the new stadium will have an all-weather running track, six changing rooms, two VIP stands, main stands, and six media rooms.   

It will also be fitted with several jogging lanes, eight entry gates, four exit gates, six ramps to cater for the disabled, additional toilets, offices and four accommodation units for the management team of the stadium.   

It is expected to have a swimming pool and an indoor arena. It will host a basketball court, volleyball, rugby, hockey, netball pitches and a gymnasium.