Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced that this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations will be hosted at Kamariny Stadium in Elgeyo Marakwet County, marking a major milestone for the long-delayed sports facility.

Speaking during a community empowerment initiative in Chepkorio on Saturday, May 2, 2026, Murkomen said preparations were underway to ensure the stadium is ready in time for the national event slated for October 20.

Stadium project back on track

Murkomen acknowledged that the Kamariny Stadium project had faced numerous setbacks, attributing the delays to what he described as “fitina” (sabotage and internal wrangles).

“Kamariny stadium imeletewa fitina sana,” he said, noting that the government is now determined to complete the project and restore momentum.

He used the opportunity to rally residents and local leaders to support the project, emphasising its significance not only for the county but also for the country at large.

Mashujaa Day to headline reopening

The Interior CS revealed that the government has selected the venue to host Mashujaa Day celebrations, one of Kenya’s key national holidays that honours the country’s heroes.

“Nataka kuwaalika wote, tarehe ishirini mwezi wa kumi itakuwa lini? Na hiyo tarehe kuna nini? Nataka kuwaambia Mashujaa Day itaandaliwa hapa,” Murkomen announced.

He added that the event will feature major national displays, including military aerial shows.

“Mandege za jeshi zitakuwa zinapita hapa Chepkorio, zinapita hapa Iten,” he said, referring to planned fly-pasts that are expected to be part of the celebrations.

Murkomen credited President William Ruto for pushing forward the stadium’s completion and ensuring the region hosts the national event.

“Na hiyo yote ni juhudi za rais,” he said.

Construction of the Kamariny Stadium

On July 25, 2025, Murkomen returned to his political backyard, not just to talk security but to prove that promises can be reignited, quite literally from the ground up.

Murkomen was in Elgeyo Marakwet for the 20th edition of Jukwaa la Usalama, a grassroots public safety engagement forum that has crisscrossed counties with a focus on community-driven solutions. But it was the Kamariny Stadium, a once-abandoned construction site near Iten town, that stole the spotlight.

The 10,000-seater stadium, which had stalled for years amid political shifts and contractor woes, is now back on track. Murkomen confirmed that construction had officially resumed, and he expressed confidence in the new contractor’s ability to complete the job within 12 months, this time, to standard.

“It had become a symbol of broken promises, but today we are restoring not just a stadium, but public trust,” Murkomen said.

The stadium, a key infrastructure project meant to boost local talent and position Iten as a global athletics hub, will host both ball sports and track events. The second phase, according to officials, will include athlete hostels to support training camps for both local and international runners.