Construction of the long-awaited Kabarnet Stadium is gathering pace, bringing renewed hope to athletes and residents in one of Kenya’s most celebrated athletics regions.
Few places in Kenya are as closely associated with the country’s athletics success as Kabarnet, a historic high-altitude training destination that has produced and nurtured generations of elite athletes. For years, however, local sportsmen and women have been forced to travel to neighbouring counties such as Nandi and Uasin Gishu to access quality training facilities after the original stadium project stalled.
The new Kabarnet Stadium is now emerging as a transformative investment in sports infrastructure, promising to provide local talent with a modern venue to train, compete and develop their careers closer to home.
The project has overcome years of uncertainty marked by funding challenges, delays and the eventual abandonment of the initial Bondeni site. Progress accelerated after President William Ruto intervened to relocate and expand the project.
It is being developed on a 15-acre site at the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Showground in Kaptimbor, on the outskirts of Kabarnet town.
Construction works are currently advancing steadily, with major foundation works already completed. Contractors have moved to critical stages including steelwork installation, formwork and concrete works for the multi-tier grandstand.
What is Kabarnet Stadium’s capacity
Once complete, the 10,000-seater stadium is expected to become one of the region’s premier sporting venues. The facility will feature a standard 400-metre athletics track, a tournament-grade football pitch, covered grandstands and terraces, changing rooms, administrative offices, parking areas and auxiliary courts for basketball and volleyball.
Beyond sports, local leaders and residents view the project as an economic catalyst that could create opportunities for young people, attract sporting events and boost business activity in Baringo County.
The stadium is also expected to strengthen Kenya’s athletics development pipeline by providing emerging athletes from the region with access to modern training and competition facilities without having to relocate elsewhere.
For a county with a rich sporting heritage, the ongoing construction marks a significant step toward restoring Kabarnet’s status as a leading hub for athletics and talent development in Kenya.
