New yet run down Gusii Stadium could be shut down

The recently renovated Gusii Stadium in Kisii County may soon be closed after authorities said the playing surface had already been damaged.

The facility, whose five-year facelift cost Sh50 million, is now already in a deplorable state.

It was only partially completed five months ago following the pressure of hosting the sixth edition of the Kenya Inter County Sports and Cultural Association (KICOSCA) Games that the county hosted from August 12 to 18.

After the KICOSCA games, the stadium has been hosting National Super League side Shabana FC, Resolution Kisii RFC, which features in the second tier rugby league, and Gusii Starlets women’s football team during their home matches.

However, its state has been depreciating gradually due to poor maintenance and it is alleged that the contractor had done a substandard job to beat the KICOSCA games deadline.

The beautiful grass that everybody admired after the renovations no longer exists with only a muddy playing ground seen.

Renovations were also stopped underway at the running track five months ago and the constructions have not resumed since then.

The county’s sports executive Duke Mainga has banned local games at the facility saying it will only be used by Shabana FC, Gusii Starlets and Resolution Kisii during their main matches.

“I have directed the stadium managers not to allow any local games at the pitch as we are embarking on the renovations that were stopped underway” he said.

In October the, the County Assembly of Kisii’s committee for sports released a report indicating that the sports department had underfunded the stadia upgrading projects despite a budgetary allocation for it.

The report, that was presented to the assembly by the committee chairperson, Evans Mokoro, said Sh52,748,780m was allocated to finish renovations at Gusii Stadium which is the main facility in the region, but did not provide the bill of quantities, names of contractors and the minutes that approved payments.

Alongside Gusii stadium, pitches were to be constructed in all the 45 wards across the county and Sh133,510,649m allocated for the constructions.

However, the report indicated that constructions were not done in some wards with the those which were done being in an awful condition.

Football Kenya Federation Nyanza south branch chairperson Yobesh Mose said no stadium was constructed in the 45 wards saying he will raise the issue with the ministry of sports in the county.

“A stadium is not something that can be hidden, honestly, where were these stadia constructed that we cannot see them” he asked.
Sports enthusiast in the region are now ups in arms over the county government’s failure to finish the contractions and have threatened to stage protests if the situation will not be addressed with urgency.
“We need quality fields for our players and once that will nurture talents in the region also the county government needs to provide a platform for the region to earn income” said Wycliffe Nyaberi one of the locals.