William Ruto has announced that the government will build a modern 10,000-seater stadium in Kilifi Town as part of efforts to improve sports facilities and support youth talent at the Coast.

In a statement shared on his X account on Saturday, May 23, 2026, the president said the stadium would no longer be built at Tezo as earlier planned. He said the government had decided to identify a more central and accessible location within Kilifi Town.

“We will construct a modern, 10,000-seater stadium at a central and more accessible location to be identified within Kilifi Town, instead of the proposed site at Tezo, which is considerably far from the town and less convenient for residents,” Ruto posted.

He added that the government remained committed to expanding sports infrastructure across the country.

“We remain firmly committed to sports development and the nurturing of youth talent through the upgrading and expansion of sports facilities across the country,” he said.

The announcement came as Ruto continued his five-day development tour of the Coast region, where he launched and inspected several government projects in Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mombasa and Tana River counties.

During his visit to Kilifi County, the President also announced major investments in roads, housing, electricity and markets. He said the government had allocated Ksh7 billion to improve the county’s road network.

Kilifi gets major projects

Among the projects launched was the construction of the 35-kilometre Tezo–Kakanjuni–Jaribuni–Ganze road in Kilifi North Constituency for Ksh2.2 billion.

“We are investing Ksh7 billion to upgrade the road network in Kilifi County as part of our commitment to transforming a region that has endured marginalisation for far too long,” Ruto said.

He added that the road project would improve transport, boost trade and tourism, and create economic opportunities for residents.

The president also said the government had set aside Ksh22 billion for affordable housing projects in Kilifi County. The programme includes Ksh2 billion for the construction of hostels in universities, technical and vocational education and training institutions, and Kenya Medical Training College campuses.

While at Pwani University, Ruto laid the foundation stone for a Ksh710 million hostel project expected to house more than 1,800 students once complete.

He urged contractors and consultants to speed up implementation so that residents and students could benefit from the projects as soon as possible.

The Kilifi stadium project has been under discussion for months. Earlier this year, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said Ruto had directed the Ministry of Sports to fully fund the construction of the facility.

At the time, Mvurya said the government wanted the stadium completed before the end of 2026. He also noted that contractors involved in the Mombasa stadium project would later move to Kilifi to begin work.

The planned stadium is expected to support local football and athletics while giving young people in Kilifi a modern venue for training and competitions.