By Collins Matubwi
Bungoma
- Phase (I) of the stadium to cost Sh700 million
- The stadium to be commissioned at the end of the year
- Phase (I) has a sitting capacity of 5000 people
- The colonialists first constructed it in 1950’s
- Lunao Enterprises Ltd. is the contractor building the state of the art stadium
- It will be the second largest after Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega
The County Government of Bungoma is expected to officially commission the Masinde Muliro stadium for use by the public at the end of the year.
Mr. Collins Mukhongo, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Roads and Infrastructure Collins Mukhongo said that Phase (I) of the facility that is over 70 per cent complete is being constructed at a cost of Sh700 million.
The stadium is part of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati’s flagship projects he initiated at the start of his term in 2017.
Mr. Collins Mukhongo, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Roads and Infrastructure Collins Mukhongo said that Phase (I) of the facility that is over 70 per cent complete is being constructed at a cost of Sh700 million.
Mukhongo said Phase (I) will have a pavilion with a sitting capacity of 5000 people, a football pitch, a running track and serve as a training camp for athletes in the region.
“Construction works for Phase (II) of the stadium will commence immediately the stadium is commissioned for use by Governor Wangamati. It will cost at least h1.3 billion but this budget will be factored in the estimates of the next financial year,” said Mukhongo.
According to Mukhongo, the second phase of the facility will have a sitting capacity of 20,000 people, an Olympic size swimming pool, changing rooms, control rooms, media centre and a VVIP Lounge.
The stadium will also have a basketball court, football, volleyball, rugby, hockey and netball pitches as well as a hall for indoor games and a gymnasium.
Masinde Muliro stadium that sits on a 20-acre parcel of land was first built by the colonialists in the 1950s, and then called Kanduyi Stadium.
The stadium has produced some of Kenya’s greatest sportsmen of their time like who won the silver medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 1972 Summer Olympics, George Situma and Tom Wanjala who were winners of Gossage Cup in 1959 (now known as The Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup) and Mary Nakhumicha, a Paralympian, in Javelin.
Currently, the facility serves as home ground of Nzoia Sugar FC that plys its trade in the Kenya Premier League and Bungoma Super Stars that plays in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Division One.
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