Fears over crowd trouble as nationals moved from Kisii to Kisumu
Action between Nyakach Girls High School and Alara Girls High School during the Nyanza Region Secondary Schools Term Two Games at Kisii High School on Saturday. Alara Girls won the match 2-1.
What you need to know:
- Nyanza Region Games were held last week in Kisii and indeed experience crowd violence. The change of venue has been greeted with mixed feelings by residents of Kisii.
- “This is a blow to us. We would have gained a lot from hosting these national events. Our economy would have benefited from selling wares to visitors,” said Kevin Motari a boda boda rider.
Kisii County has been stripped of the right to host this year’s Secondary Schools Term Two National Games that have now been moved to Kisumu
Kisii County Secondary Schools Sports Association Secretary, Geoffrey Nyantika, said the Ministry of Education made the change citing the inadequacy of Gusii Stadium that is currently under renovations.
The nationals will be held from July 29 to August 6.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nyantika said: “A directive from Jogoo house today moved national games host venue from Kisii to Kisumu on the following grounds -- stadium not firm enough, rains that made the stadium flood and unplayable during regional games, negative publicity, fan violence and the death of one of the school’s coach. But above all ,it’s all about the stadium.”
Nyanza Region Games were held last week in Kisii and indeed experience crowd violence. The change of venue has been greeted with mixed feelings by residents of Kisii.
“This is a blow to us. We would have gained a lot from hosting these national events. Our economy would have benefited from selling wares to visitors,” said Kevin Motari a boda boda rider.
The move was, however, welcomed by Evans Omondi, who averred Kisii was not prepared to host the national championships.
“I was at Cardinal Otunga and witnessed how chaos erupted in one of the semi-finals. Unruly fans stormed the pitch and started beating players. I am of the opinion that if we had barriers like there are in stadiums, that ugly scenes wouldn’t have happened. The only stadium which we have is not ready at all,” said Omondi a roadside trader
Some irate residents blamed the contractor for costing the county the games.
“We never expected this to happen. Had the contractor finished the renovation in time we would have comfortably hosted the games. It is almost two years now since Gusii Stadium was closed down for renovations. Even our team Shabana have to play their home matches in Homabay,” said Peter Mautia a Shabana diehard fan.
Elsewhere, new entrants St Joseph Boys High School had to employ all the tricks in the book to beat hard fighting Kabarnet Boys High School 2-0 and qualify for football quarter-finals of the Rift-Valley Region Secondary Schools Term Two Games at Silibwet Stadium, Bomet on Thursday, July 18.
The new champions of Trans Nzoia scored via Shadrack Kiboi and Aluta Ogolla.
St Joseph’s Boys, who eliminated outgoing champions St Anthony’s Boys High school in the county finals, will face Ololulunga Boys High School from Narok at Silibwet stadium on Friday.
Girls’ football, favourites St Joseph’s Girls High and former champions Itigo Girls secondary schools eased into the quarter-finals.
St Joseph’s Girls run riot at St Michael’s Secondary School whitewashing at Sosiot Girls Secondary from Kericho 6-0 with four strikes from Miriam Sirari.
