National, County Government at odds over Bukhungu Stadium project
By Douglas Dindi, February 21, 2025The national government has refuted claims that it has taken over the construction of Bukhungu Stadium from the Kakamega County Government, insisting that the project remains a joint venture.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, during an inspection tour of the stalled works (commissioned by President William Ruto), affirmed that both levels of government are co-financing the development, even as concerns mount over delays, the secrecy surrounding the project’s cost and the stalled upgrade of the main pitch.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Baraza, who has repeatedly claimed publicly that the national government had taken over Bukhungu Stadium and the stalled proposed Kakamega Level Six Hospital, hosted Mvurya during this review meeting.
Yet, in his opening remarks before inviting Mvurya, Baraza again alluded to the Bukhungu project being a joint venture between the two governments.
He stated that they had agreed that technical teams from both levels of government would undertake a joint inspection of the project.
However, the project cost and scope of work to be carried out by the different contractors on site have been kept secret.
The Head of State announced national government support for the construction of Bukhungu Phase Three, encompassing the southern C-section, early last year.
The stadium was scheduled to host some preliminary Chan matches.
Former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba fast-tracked the president’s directive through a tender won by Wilkori Building and Civil Contractors.
The proposed works failed to take off due to back-and-forth disputes between county and national government officials.
The stadium’s main pitch was earmarked for a total overhaul, to be redone afresh, complete with an underground drainage system funded by the county treasury.
Work on the C-section has begun, but work on the pitch has stalled again, with no contractor present on site. Only gaping tunnels meant to lay drainage conduits stick out four months after they were dug.
Mvurya said he was satisfied with the work rate but did not disclose the project’s completion percentage.
“What’s important is that residents remain patient. We have a June 2026 deadline to deliver this stadium so it can host some of the Afcon matches.”
Project Bukhungu Stadium has consumed close to Sh2 billion so far and was started by the first Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
The first phase was completed, while the second phase—where the Chinese contractor left the site—was at the basic civil structure level when Oparanya retired in 2022 after his two terms.
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