Mombasa Municipal Stadium construction resumes after 13-year wait

The development follows President William Ruto’s announcement in February this year that the national government had taken over the project and would oversee its completion through the ministry of defence.

Construction activities officially began earlier this week, although only a small number of workers were seen on site, with no visible military supervision.

Football stakeholders in Mombasa, led by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Mombasa Branch Chairman Alamin Ahmed Abdalla, welcomed the government's intervention and urged authorities to accelerate the works to meet the December completion deadline set by President Ruto.

Alamin believes the stadium could play a significant role ahead of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya is set to host.

"Next year, God willing, as Kenya we will host AFCON and it will be great if the stadium will be complete and give way for some countries to use it as their training ground. We hope the president's promise that the stadium will be ready by December will stand."

He added that Mombasa’s hospitality industry stands to benefit immensely from the facility’s completion.

"Mombasa City has the best five-star hotels Kenya can have, so economically if the stadium will be ready, Mombasa will be the epicenter for most teams and we will benefit."

According to Alamin, the project will also have a lasting impact on the development of local football talent.

"The confidence of our players will go up. This is the first stadium in Kenya and once complete it will be a game changer."

Former referee Evans Mwachia also welcomed the resumption of construction, while calling on the contractor to increase manpower and create employment opportunities for local youth.

"We are happy as stakeholders that the stadium construction has commenced from where it stalled. Once complete it will be a plus to players, referees and the whole community at large."

Mwachia further urged the government to ensure the project stays on schedule.

"We are aware that the timeline for completion is December, so we call on the government to increase the manpower by giving our youths jobs to ease its construction."

Local football coach Oliver Obango highlighted the stadium’s potential social impact, particularly in tackling youth challenges such as drug abuse.

Recalling the venue’s glory days, Bango said:

"We used to witness international matches here, the likes of Nigeria and Tanzania. Once the stadium is complete, it will be a game changer for our youths who are affected by drug abuse due to a lack of motivational value."

The KSh1.7 billion stadium project stalled more than a decade ago after the original structure was demolished to pave the way for a modern facility.