This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 25, 2020, the national government launched the construction of a new sports stadium complex in Kisumu, a project valued at Ksh 1.4 billion.
The stadium, named Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, will have a capacity of 30,000 and is expected to be completed in six months.
According to Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed, the project will be funded by the Sports Fund, with Ksh 350 million already released to the contractor.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Mohammed emphasized the importance of the stadium in nurturing talent in the area, saying, 'Despite having a lot of talent this region lacks the necessary facilities. Therefore this stadium will come in handy to help nurture and develop talent for our youth.'
The stadium will comprise a football pitch, standard athletics track, volleyball and basketball courts, and is expected to host key national and regional events, benefiting counties in the lake region economically.
The national government will partner with the county government to develop other sports facilities in the area, with the county government set to upgrade Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Recreational and Sports grounds into a modern facility to host competitive sports.