It's all systems go for Talanta Stadium

The Kenyan cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of a 60,000-capacity Talanta Stadium.

The stadium will be located at the Jamhuri Grounds along Ngong Road.

The Ministry of Sports handed over the ground last month to the Kenya Defence Forces, who will also handle the renovations of Nyayo, Kasarani, and Kipchoge Keino stadiums in preparation for the 2027 African Cup of Nations.

On Tuesday, the matter was tabled before the President William Ruto-chaired cabinet, and it was passed.

Previously, the ministry had announced that the facility, a football-only stadium, will have a capacity of 50,000, but a dispatch from the statehouse announced that the facility will be a 60,000-seater, just like Kenya’s largest stadium, Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.

"The Cabinet endorsed the construction of a new 60,000-capacity stadium in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027," read a dispatch from the statehouse.

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Speaking while handing over the facility to KDF on September 20th, she termed the moment a historic one.

“We are here to witness the start of another landmark; this is a landmark that is being done by Kenya, by our people, and designed by our own people. We are very proud of this project, which has taken time to be conceived. For sure, this is a history day”, Ababu told People Daily Sport.

He added that the project will be completed within the stipulated time, contrary to what is now becoming the norm in a country littered with uncompleted stadia.

“We developed this new stadium as part of the Sports and Arts Infrastructure Master Plan. In this first year of the President William Ruto administration, among the key deliverables that this ministry can put forth before the people of Kenya is developing a comprehensive, concise, and time-bound master plan so that when we develop any stadia, it will no longer be unplanned; it will no longer be what we have witnessed in the past where the country is dotted with so many white elephant projects.".

The construction of the stadia is set to ease the stadia problem post-AFCON.

Clubs have struggled with getting match venues, and top-flight clubs have been forced to play at pitches like Kasarani Annex,Utalii Grounds, and the ever-dilapidated Ruaraka.

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