Vandalism at Dandora stadium?
Rodgers Ndegwa
Local football enthusiasts are waiting with abetted breath for the completion of Dandora Stadium that was to be completed by August last year before everything stalled in November.
Now, locals claim the 12,000-seater facility which was about 90 per cent complete and was set to host a number of Kenyan Premier League and Betika National Super League matches, is being vandalised at a high rate.
“Materials are being vandalised in the stadium silently, because no one can access the facility. There is a makeshift security firm guarding the stadium and all theft is happening under its watch,” said a source who sought anonymity.
He added: “Some of the floodlights have been vandalised, the speakers meant for public address system, water pipes and taps all stollen.”
However, according to the Project Manager Steve Ragos, everything is intact in the facility and he expects the construction to resume once the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and public works evaluators table their findings after their investigation of the unlawful awarding of the tender to Scanjet Constructions company which is affiliated to a powerful politician and alleged over pricing of the contract.
“The facility is well guarded and nothing tangible can be vandalised without our knowledge ,” Ragos.
He added: “Dandora stadium was allocated Sh 350 million for its rehabilitation and we are awaiting the EACC together with other bodies to see if the amount was exaggerated as it is being claimed and also get out of the way the matter to do with the tender bit. Once that is done and the findings tabled, we will resume work immediately.”
He also dismissed any claims of misappropriations of funds by the management of the stadium stating every penny was used according to its purpose.
But according the source had different views: ”Since I started working here we have had different bosses who all come here with their personal interests.
Many are here just to steal the money by overpricing the basic commodities and under-paying the workers, forcing some of the workers to resort in stealing whatever they can lay they hands on.”
