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The President was not impressed by the slow progress of construction work of the stadium which was among those earmarked to host the CHAN 2024 tournament.
President William Ruto has given an ultimatum to the contractor at the Bukhungu Stadium to ensure the facility is ready for use by June 2026.
Ruto made an impromptu visit to the stadium on Wednesday and was not impressed by what he saw as the construction work, which was supposed to have been completed by September 2024, had stalled and he took the contractor to task.
“What is going on because we gave you a job. You just need to say I have no capacity so that we can get somebody else because you cannot hold us ransom,” Ruto told the contractor.
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09:50 - 09.06.2024
Namwamba: National government to take charge of Bukhungu Stadium renovations
Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has confirmed that the national government will take over the renovation works currently going on at the Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.
“You are a notorious contractor for abandoning projects. You start work here, do a little, then move on to another site, do a little there. That is not acceptable.”
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"'I'm not holding anyone ransom, I'm sorry, I promise you I will be dedicated," the contractor said.
"But you cannot be on site as a tourist. We need to see progress,” the President emphasised.
Bukhungu had undergone the first phase of construction under the regime of former governor Wycliffe Oparanya but the county requested assistance from the national government to help fund the second and third phases that would upgrade it to international standards.
With Kenya set to co-host the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN), the state saw it as an opportunity to have some matches of the tournament in Western Kenya and committed over Sh6 billion for the project but by the start of 2024, one month before CHAN begins, nothing much has been going on.
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“We cannot have a project like this that was supposed to take several months taking years. Oparanya was here, he has gone, two years [current governor Fernandes] Barasa is in office and myself nothing is moving,” the President added.
“When I came in and I was requested by the county to support this project, we decided to support this project because we wanted to use it for CHAN. But when the CHAN team came to assess, they said there is no way this project is going to be availed by February because CHAN is next month.
“You have sabotaged the people of Kakamega from participating in the CHAN competition. This stadium must be finished in June next year. 2026 is next year and the people of Kakamega must be able to use it.”
Bukhungu is one of a number of stalled such facilities in the country while Kenya is in a race against time to have Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums ready for CHAN which will kick off on February 1 with Tanzania and Uganda also playing host.
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