Business people in Nyahururu, Laikipia County, have been urged to ensure the town successfully hosts the County Assemblies Sports Association (CASA) games slated for late next month.

County Speaker Lantano Nabaala further stated that if Nyahururu fails to host the sports extravaganza due to lack of preparation, the ten-day event will be moved to Bungoma County.

He maintained: “If the games are moved to Bungoma because Nyahururu is not ready, then Laikipia will then wait for a long time before getting another chance to host them.”

The Speaker, along with Governor Joshua Irungu, called on Nyahururu residents to brainstorm on how to accommodate over 5,000 people, including MCAs and staff from the 47 county assemblies who will attend the games.

“Our survey shows the available rooms in Nyahururu and its environs can only accommodate 2,000 people. Where will the rest of visitors sleep?” the Governor wondered.

Nyahururu was picked to host the annual games after Laikipia MCAs decided that hosting them in Nanyuki, which has adequate accommodation, would deny the county assembly’s leaders and staff allowances due to a rule that requires allowances to be paid only if one travels a distance of 50km or more from their workstation.

Hosting the games, which include sports such as golf, soccer, athletics, indoor games, tug-of-war and cultural music, will test Nyahururu’s capacity in terms of accommodation, security, health and transport.

The town was recently conferred with municipal status.

Speaker Lantano and Governor Irungu urged residents not to let the opportunity slip away, noting that hosting the games would ensure millions of shillings circulate in the town during the visitors’ stay.

The two leaders were speaking to business stakeholders who had gathered at the Nyahururu Country Club over the weekend for a briefing on the many business opportunities they can exploit by providing various services to visitors during the ten-day sporting extravaganza.

County Executive for Education, Youth, and Sports Stephen Kisorio said that successfully hosting the CASA games would put Laikipia County in a good position to bid for hosting the Kenya Inter-Counties Sports and Cultural Association (KICOSCA) games and the Kenya Youth Inter-Counties Sports Association (KYISA) games in the future.