Uhuru opens Ulinzi Sports Complex in Lang'ata

President Uhuru Kenyatta has arrived at the Lang'ata Barracks in Nairobi where he is set to open the Ulinzi Sports Complex.

Uhuru was accompanied by Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, his Sports counterpart Amina Mohamed, Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces General Robert Kariuki Kibochi among other dignitaries.

Before his arrival, ecstatic soldiers and civilians thronged the 7,500-seater. The soldiers were drawn from Kenya Air Force, Kenya Navy, Kenya Army.

The famous Maroon Commandoes band entertained guests who arrived long before the President arrived at the venue. Their renditions of Naenda Safari, Christina, Sofia among others had the attendees on their feet.

The complex will now be home to all Military teams, including Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) side Ulinzi Stars.

“The Commander-in-Chief (President Uhuru Kenyatta) will commission the Ulinzi Sports Complex at 9am. The rest of the details you will get during the launch,” a senior KDF official, who requested for anonymity, told Nation Sport on Tuesday.

Ulinzi will face off with Kenyan champions Tusker at the ground in an exhibition match from 1315hours among other events planned for the day.

President Kenyatta commissioned the construction of the facility on October 28, 2020 and it was expected to be ready for use in a year’s time.

While the cost of the construction was not revealed, it was announced that the facility will be home to a 7,500 capacity football stadium, with an eight-lane athletics track, two training grounds, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, indoor arena, swimming pool, hockey and rugby grounds and parking spaces.

Kenya Women’s Premier League sideUlinzi Starlets and Kenya Basketball Federation side Ulinzi Warriors are some of the teams within the KDF that will benefit from the construction of the facility.

The launch of Ulinzi Sports Complex will be taking place at a time when Ulinzi are struggling in the FKF-PL.

The four time winners are 14th on the log with 27 points from 23 matches.

Previously, Ulinzi Stars were hosting their home matches at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru. They were forced to relocate to Kericho Green Stadium after Nakuru County Government closed Afraha Stadium for construction.
 

For Ulinzi Warriors, the launch of the facility will be taking place when they are preparing to defend their KBF men’s Premier League title. The soldiers will clash with Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa in the first two matches of the best-of-five series, which start this weekend.

Ulinzi will host the remaining three matches in Nairobi.

The launch of the Ulinzi Sports Complex comes less than a month after President Kenyatta commissioned the Jamhuri Sports Complex in Nairobi.  

The Jamhuri Sports Complex is located along the Ngong road and was constructed at a tune of Sh609 million. It is home to three football pitches, rugby pitch, 1.7 kilometres running track and 3.7km murram track.

Other developments at the ground are a police post, two ablutions, food courts, changing rooms, children playing area and two picnic sites, five earth berms among others.