Jamhuri Sports Complex to be ready by March

A section of Ngong Forest in Nairobi will be incorporated in the ongoing construction of the ultra-modern Jamhuri Sports Complex.

On Monday, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and her Environment and Forestry counterpart Keriako Tobiko toured the facility, where they signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see 50 acres of the forest, which is adjacent to the facility incorporated in the project.

“Part of the forest is going to be used for picnic facilities, for walks, tracks and so on,” said Tobiko.

The acquisition of 50 more acres means that the Sh600 million facility will now sit on 164 acres of land.

The Ministry of Sports broke ground for the construction of the facility in August last year. When complete in March as envisaged, it will house football, rugby and hockey pitches, and a basketball court. It will also have a tartan track.

Sports CS Amina said that they look forward to launching the complex in March.

“The budget for this project is about Sh600 million and we believe it is a budget that is going to be very well utilised. By March this year, we can have this project complete, launched and used by Kenyans thereafter,” she said. 

The visit of the facility by the two cabinet secretaries came barely a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta, and ODM leader Raila Odinga toured the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu to assess its progress.

President Kenyatta reminded the contractor in charge of the stadium's construction to meet the April 2021 deadline.

When complete, the 12,000-seater facility, which is being developed at a tune of Sh1.4 billion will house football, rugby, tennis, hockey pitches among others.

The stadium will also have changing rooms, media center, a board room, modern ablution block, eight-lane running track and ample parking.