The contract for the construction of the 20,000-seater Siaya Stadium was signed by then Governor Cornel Rasanga on October 30, 2018 and was part of the 2018/2019 Siaya County Integrated Development Programme.
The project, which sits on 19.9 acres of land, was scheduled to take 10 months and cost Sh394 million but has dragged on with no end seemingly in sight.
But hopes of Siaya finally having an ultra-modern stadium were revived recently when the first batch of structural steel beams to complete the construction of the terraces were delivered to the site last Sunday.
Siaya County Sports Assistant Director John Ang’awa said the building material that had been delivered from Nairobi would be used to complete the pavilion.
Ongoing construction work at Siaya Stadium in Siaya County on April 2, 2023. KASSIM ADINASI | NATION
“Other construction material are on the way. I know the governor promised to complete the stadium by March 2023. However, there were some challenges especially in transporting the materials from Nairobi to Siaya,” said Ang’awa.
The construction of the stadium started on February 2019 but stalled when it was 70 per cent complete.
On completion Siaya residents would have access to a running track, two main terraces, a VIP area, an ablution block, changing rooms and an amphitheatre. Flood lights will also be installed making the facility one of the few in the country that will be able to host activities at night.
Ang’awa revealed that the stadium would also have a police station and a small dispensary.
“Let it be known that there are several playing grounds in Siaya County. All the public schools, both primary and secondary schools have adequate space for games and routine practices. The new stadium is coming up to international standards. The stadium will have many facilities,” he said.
In the financial year 2020-2021, Sh97,187,416 was allocated to the County’s Sports Department and a paltry Sh33,981,968 for 2021-2022.
The Siaya County 2022-23 Supplementary budget has allocated Sh353,227,050 for Education, Sports, Youth Affairs, Gender and Social Services raising hope that the stadium will soon be up and running.
During last year’s election campaigns, Governor James Orengo promised to “empower all sports people in Siaya County and nature talented youths in all the disciplines.”
Siaya sports people believe that completion of the stadium will offer them a chance to train in a conducive environment in addition to giving the county the ability to host national and even international sport events.
The county will be hoping that the stadium will get a chance to stage Football Kenya Federation Premier League matches involving Gor Mahia who enjoys huge support in Siaya, and thus inspire young and upcoming footballers in the region.
Siaya County is indeed known to be rich in football talent and has produced Harambee Stars greats including goalkeepers James Sianga and Francis Onyiso.
The county also has talented boxers who have excelled in national championships. Retired pro fighter Conjestine Achieng is perhaps the most famous of them.
Many budding boxers in the region will be hoping that the stadium is completed soon.
Just a reminder, last year 10 junior boxers in the county failed to travel to Nairobi for the National Junior Championships over lack of finances.
“For talent to be nurtured to the level of participating at the international levels, there is a need to start honing them as early as in junior primary school. This can only be made possible by availability of resources and facilities such as training venue,” said the team’s coach Joseph Otieno then.
It is instructive to note that the Siaya County Boxing Club members currently train in a classroom at Oseno Komolo Primary School in Alego Usonga.
The boxers have high hopes that Orengo, unlike his predecessor, will promote sports and offer opportunities for the local pugilists to participate in local and international tournaments.
Skating is another sport that is gaining popularity among pupils in Siaya County. Due to inadequate facilities, the youngsters train on open roads which pose a danger to their lives.
It seems the stadium could be a game changer for sports in the county. BY DAILY NATION