The government has abandoned plans to construct a world-class stadium at Kamariny in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Instead, new plans have been initiated to convert the stadium into an international High Altitude Training facility.
According to Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, establishment of the facility is part of a new government initiative contained in the recently unveiled sports master plan.
Speaking in Eldoret, Namwamba said a decision to set up a High Altitude Training Center in Kamariny has been informed by an assessment done by sports experts in the area.
“We have assessed sports utilities across the country and arrived at a conclusion that not every place need an international stadium,” the CS told journalists.
“We’ve done scientific assessment of Kamariny and determined that we cannot host a competition there,” he added.
Unfulfilled promises on stadiums
CS Namwamba pointed out that the government assessment has come to a conclusion that Kamariny is best destination for a High Altitude Training Centre.
“Instead of an international stadium, we will construct an international High Altitude Training Centre which is part of the master plan that its implementation is coming up,” he said.
Kamariny was part of the international stadiums that the former Jubilee government had promised to construct.
But over 10 years later, no progress had been made on the facility.
Last year, the Elgeyo Marakwet County improved the track at the field as a way of ensuring it remains fit for training by local athletes.
Early this week, CS Namwamba presided over an event that saw the Ministry of Sports unveil new renovation works for major stadiums in the county which have been handed over to the Military.
The stadiums are Nairobi-based Kasarani and Nyayo as well as Eldoret’s Kipchoge Keino stadium.
“Completion of all stalled projects is part of the master plan – we have 10 stadia that we intend to complete including the three,” Namwamba said.
“Previously projects have been done without proper planning and projections, that’s why we have ended up with many white elephant projects. However, we’re sufficiently prepared to complete the projects in time,” he added.
