Sports Kenya impressed by Wote Stadium progress

Stanley Mutinda  in Makueni

Officials from Sports Kenya have expressed satisfaction with the ongoing works at the multi-million shillings Wote Stadium in Makueni.

The news that the 10,000 seater stadium is now 40 percent-complete was well received by the officials who toured the facility led by Sports Kenya Head of Business Development Julius Mbii and Makueni County Commissioner Mohammed Maalim.

Maalim, also serving as the Makueni County Development Implementation Coordination Committee chair, said the contractor was progressing well and his office was optimistic that the work will be finished by end of October as per the Ministry of Sports directive.

“I’m happy with the works at the project and if the contractor moves with that speed, he can deliver this stadium even before October. He (contractor) has told us that the work is 40-percent complete and he has assured us in two weeks time they will start planting the grass,” said Maalim.

Maalim’s sentiments were echoed by Mbii who at the same time warned contractors working on stadia projects across the country to work day and night to beat the government’s set timelines and hand over the facilities to Sports Kenya.

“If the contractor here maintains that pace, definitely we will have a stadium in October. I urge all other contractors who are working on other facilities in the country to ensure they adhere to the set timelines by the ministry because their tenders will be re-advertised if they fail to hasten the pace of works,” he said.

Construction of the would-be ultra-modern facility was launched by Deputy President William Ruto in May 2017 but its construction stalled a few months after the last general elections due to nonpayment of the contractor by the government.

However, the contractor, Mark Muendo, signed a return-to-work agreement with the Ministry of Sports last month and undertook to complete remaining works after a further allocation of Sh350 million.

“After completion, it will be a state-of-the-art stadium meeting international standards and only a few in Kenya will match this facility. I want to assure the government that I will work around the clock to finish the works by October,” said Muendo, who is working with the Taphes and Nitram Company.

Last month, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said the facility was among 10 stadiums which have stalled across the country and which will be completed by end of this year in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s new directive.