Ksh 3.7 Billion allocated to Nairobi Stadiums in six years

Sporting activities in Kenya have always come second, coming first only when we are riding on the success of sportsmen and women who we barely support.

From most national teams to leagues in different federations, across the different sporting disciplines, the problem is the same.

Enter the county governments.

Despite receiving huge allocations in the past six financial years, sports in Nairobi City County continue to crawl with few sports facilities, and those that are there are not up to standard despite more money being pumped into Sports Development.

In the six years, City Stadium, four ultra-modern stadiums, sports academies and intercounty games have been consistent on the financial allocations.

A look at the Nairobi County Annual Development Plans reveals the huge amounts allocated to sports in the country but there is nothing much to show for it in the end.

In total, Ksh 3.7 Billion has been allocated to the renovation of City Stadium and other grounds in the county as well as the construction of four other stadiums in that timeframe from a total of around Ksh 4.5B allocated for Sports Development.

As you would guess, the renovation of City Stadium and the construction of four ultramodern stadiums in Dandora, Kangemi, Ziwani, and Dagoretti have received the lion share of the taxpayers' money but very little has been going on.

In total, the renovation of City Stadium upgrade of other playing grounds as well as the construction of four new stadiums, which are not yet complete even, has taken up

Yet again, in the County Annual Development Plan 2022/2023, The Nairobi City County Government has allocated Ksh 1B to the renovation of City Stadium.

In the latest proposed renovation, the Stadium, a fortress for Gor Mahia at some time, will receive a facelift that will see the stadium fitted with modern equipment.

In the 2017/2018 financial year, Ksh 127M was allocated for a complete refurbishment of the stadium with Ksh 350M being set aside for the construction of the four ultramodern stadiums.

The allocation to City Stadium was followed by a more than double allocation the following financial year of Ksh 268 million with an aim of renovating it to make it a ‘comfortable stadium for sports’ according to the County Annual Development Plan 2018/2019.

In the same year, Ksh 679 Million was allocated to ensure the improvement of sports grounds in Mihango, Tena, Woodley, Mwiki, Durarwa, Makadara, and Kware.

In the 2019/2020 plan, City Stadium was yet again among the beneficiaries stadiums that were set to be renovated from an allocation of Ksh 500M.

The description of this allocation was vague, with the activities description indicating that the money was meant for the construction of the four ultra-modern stadiums as well as renovate the City Stadium, giving no specific amounts for the activities.

The 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 CADPs indicated a similar allocation of Ksh 400M every year for the improvement of the state of sports facilities in the county, again without giving a detailed breakdown on which stadiums would receive what amount.

However, as I perused through the yearly plans, I noticed that itemization was not done as clearly in some of the allocations in different years, whether it was a genuine error or an intentional confusion leaves a question for another day.

For instance, in the 2022/2023 plan, upgrading of City and Joseph Kangethe Stadiums have been itemized together with the completion of Dandora Stadium falling just below them. On the Budget section, there is a tabulation of Ksh ‘1000M’, Ksh 1B, and Ksh 50M.

On the same, the strategic matrix for 2019/2020 indicates that a total of Ksh 610M was to be allocated for sports development in general while the Development Projects Priorities section for the same financial year indicates Ksh 650M.

A look at the Budget summary section however indicates that 1B is for spearheading the construction of other sports complexes while Ksh 50M is set aside to improve the state of sports facilities, a clear contradiction within the same document.

Over the years, Intercounty Games have received an allocation of up to Ksh 40M per year with money being set aside for the establishment of sports academies in the country being way less.

In the 2021/2022 plan, for example, the amount set aside to facilitate ‘staff members for intercounty games’ was Ksh 37M while that of establishing academies was set to only Ksh 4M.

City Stadium’s renovation is set to kick-off, for the umpteenth time, soon, while Dandora Stadium which has been infested with weeds is set to be completed in the near future.

Nevertheless, so much uncertainty surrounds these projects despite the allocation. Perhaps, we will have another allocation on the same in the next financial year plan.