Ulinzi Sports Complex completion puts spotlight on the unfinished stadiums
President Uhuru Kenyatta during the official opening ceremony for the Jamhuri Sports Complex on March 25, 2022 in Woodley, Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- Kipchoge Keino, Kamariny, Ruring’u, Wote stadiums et al have been under construction since 2017
- Modern sports facility in Langata was completed in 16 months and officially launched by an impressed President Kenyatta on Wednesday
- Tergat is delighted that upcoming military athletes won’t again spend money to access public or private facilities
It was quite an emotional yet exciting moment for Kenya’s legendary distance runner Paul Tergat.
The dusty and murram track at Lang’ata Barracks that had produced world records and world titles among other accolades for many years finally had a new modern and international look.
“I just couldn’t believe my eyes that I am standing at a place where we used to suspend training at times after it rained heavily. That muddy track produced World beaters, though,” said Tergat, a Kenya Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.
“Looking at this ultra-modern sstadium at this Ulinzi Sports Complex is a proud moment for me,” said Tergat, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president.
The VIP entrance to the Ulinzi Sports Compex in Lang'ata Barracks on April 13, 2022.
The 52-year-old Tergat, who had almost two decades of chequered athletics career, was speaking after President Uhuru Kenyatta opened the Ulinzi Sports Complex at the Lang'ata Barracks on Wednesday.
Tergat is delighted that upcoming military athletes won’t again spend money to access public or private facilities.
“We had to pay for the use of the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium. Our personnel can now enjoy these facilities at any given time,” said Tergat, the five-time World Cross Country champion.
“This is now a reality and a cluster of legacy. I have only seen such a facility for the military in Egypt in the Sub Sahara,” said Tergat, adding that it’s difficult to nurture young people when vital public facilities are being charged.
Tergat commended President Uhuru Kenyatta, Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi and senior Kenya Defence Forces commanders for the brilliant idea that will transform and take sports in the military to the next level.
“It’s even encouraging that the community will also be allowed to use the facility,” said Tergat.
President Uhuru Kenyatta cuts the ribbon to officially commission the Ulinzi Sports Complex at Lang'ata Barracks in Nairobi on April 13, 2022.
President Kenyatta and Kibochi on October 28, 2020, led senior government officials in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ulinzi Sports Complex and inauguration of the Defence Forces Wellness Centre at Lang'ata Barracks, Nairobi.
The speed and precision that the KDF engineers have exhibited to put up such facilities should be commendable and emulated not only by the Ministry of Sports but also County governments that still have sports facilities under construction.
Kibochi noted that the two projects will play a central role in development of sports in the KDF and across the entire sports spectrum as well as ensure holistic wellness of mental and physical health.
The sports complex is made up of a main stadium, an indoor arena, outdoor courts for basketball, tennis, volleyball, handball, an Olympic-size swimming pool and a recreational nature trail.
The call by Kenyatta and Tergat for the Sports Ministry and county governments to borrow a leaf from the military and complete the construction of stadiums is timely.
There are several regional stadiums that are still under construction or renovation since 2017 despite the government spending over Sh 1billion on them with additional budgetary allocation annually from the Sports Fund.
They include the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Uasin Gishu, Kamariny Stadium in Elgeyo Marakwet and Ruring’u Stadium, Nyeri.
Others are Wote Stadium in Makueni ans Kinoru Stadium, Embu.
Treasury has allocated Sh125m for refurbishment of regional stadiums an increase from Sh90 million allocated in 2021.
This comes at a time President Uhuru Kenyatta has focused on sports facilities.
President Uhuru Kenyatta during the official opening ceremony for the Jamhuri Sports Complex on March 25, 2022 in Woodley, Nairobi.
The President opened the refurbished Jamhuri Park Sports Complex on March 26. The project cost Sh 609 million. The face-lift started on August 6, 2020.
Inside the grounds are three football pitches and one rugby pitch with a neatly-trimmed grass surface.
The pitches, which have been fitted with underground sprinklers, are separated by walking paths done in cabros.
A running track, 3.7-kilometre murram running trail, two ablution blocks, two changing rooms, two picnic sites, children playing area and a power house are the other major developments that have changed the face of the ground.
