Govt to spend Sh250m in uplifting Mbaraki, Mombasa Municipal Stadium

The government has earmarked Sh 250 million for the refurbishment of Kenya Ports Authority’s Mbaraki Sports Club stadium, aiming to elevate it to international standards.

Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba made this announcement during the groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrade project.

He confirmed that the government has already allocated the funds to kick-start the renovation.

Namwamba outlined that the renovation the home stadium of the KPA sponsored Bandari Football Club would include installing a state-of-the-art tartan track, upgrading the pitch, and enhancing the stadium to meet FIFA standards.

The facility will also be equipped with athletics equipment.

“This stadium will be designed to modern standards. We will have terraces where football fans can sit comfortably to enjoy matches, and we shall also install a pavilion. Eventually, even though this stadium is as big, we believe with proper planning, it can be improved to remarkable standards,” he stated at Mbaraki sports club.

The CS emphasized that this initiative would be a joint effort between KPA and the National government through the Ministry of Sports.

He urged the Authority to incorporate the project into their budget for the financial year 2024-2025, with plans to pool resources.

In addition to Mbaraki, Namwamba revealed the government’s intentions to revive the abandoned Mombasa Municipal Stadium, which started construction over a decade ago but was left incomplete.

So far there is nothing to show for in the municipal stadium which reportedly gobbled up over Sh 500 million, except for hips of assortment of disturbed turf and debris, clear sign that decades have lapsed since the “attempted construction.”

The stadium, which hosted a Gotv Cecafa Senior challenge match between Harambee Stars and Rwanda’s Amavumbi in December 2013, now lies in ruins, home to wild reptiles and insects.

“I want to assure the public that the government has elaborate plans to finish the stadium so that it becomes a unique football stadium in this port city,” Namwamba assured, acknowledging his involvement in the stadium’s construction during his tenure as sports CS under the previous Kibaki regime.

Recognizing the Coast region’s rich football talent, Namwamba highlighted players like Abass Khamis Magongo and Mahmoud Abbas, known as Kenya One, as examples of the region’s football legacy.

He hailed the region for its recent successes, including beating Gor Mahia, the back-to-back Kenya Premier League champions, in a recent league match, and knocking them out of the Mozart Bet tournament.

Namwamba noted, “It’s like the Coast has a remedy to Gor Mahia’s dominance,” acknowledging the region’s prowess in football.

The refurbishment of Mbaraki Sports Club stadium and the revival of Mombasa Municipal Stadium are part of the government’s commitment to developing sports infrastructure in the region and nurturing local talent.