This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
Siaya County in Kenya is set to have a new 20,000-seater stadium by December, following a commitment by the Chinese contractor to hand over the facility to the county government.
According to Governor Cornel Rasanga, the stadium will increase the residents' access to modern sporting facilities required for quality sports talent development and exposure.
The stadium, which is being constructed by Jiangsu Provincial Construction Company Limited, is valued at Sh394 million and was awarded the tender in 2018.
During a tour of the project site on Wednesday, officials from the Chinese firm assured Governor Rasanga that 70 percent of the work had already been done.
Engineers from Jiangsu Provincial Construction Company Limited have said the project will now be delivered in six months, down from the initial 10 months.
The project has been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has greatly impacted the implementation of the project.
Once complete, the stadium will have offices, changing rooms, and indoor training facilities, as well as a main football pitch with floodlights.
The stadium's seating terrace will accommodate 15,000 people, while the main pavilion will have a capacity for 5,000 people, and the amphitheatre will hold another 5,000 people.
Siaya County hopes the stadium will promote sports in the region and improve its revenue collection through sports tourism.
