Masinde Muliro stadium,Kanduyi
By IP sports reporter
Once upon a time, former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba stood tall and declared to the good people of Bungoma: “This stadium will be covered with Teflon, not iron sheets!”
It sounded like music. Modern. World-class. Almost like Bungoma would host the next World Cup.
Fast-forward to today and reality is shining — not the sleek, quiet sheen of Teflon membranes, but the raw glitter of iron sheets (mabati).
Yes, the same mabati you use on your cow shed is now the architectural crown of Kanduyi’s pride.
Now let’s talk about Bungoma weather. Rain here is not a visitor; it’s a resident. With mabati roofing, every downpour will turn Masinde Muliro Stadium into a percussion concert.
Forget the referee’s whistle — the rain on mabati will drown it out. Fans will be treated to free ngoma za mabati whether they like it or not.
If you’re a dignitary on the main dais? Pack an umbrella, raincoat and maybe a canoe because the “red-carpet experience” now comes with a bonus baptism, courtesy of government design changes of the main dias canopy.
The glossy architectural drawings promised heaven. The end product? Mabati moon.
What’s even more painful is knowing what Teflon would have offered:
Quieter matches (no mabati drumming competitions with the rain).
Cooler stands (instead of fans roasting under hot iron sheets).
Durability & modern feel (used in stadiums like,Kasarani,Hoima in Uganda,Benjamin Mkapa in Tanzania,Talanta ,Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa and several European arenas).
Lighter roofing (less strain on the structure, faster works).
Instead, Bungoma fans get mabati heat in the sun, mabati drums in the rain and mabati excuses when they ask questions.
So was this an afterthought by current CS Salim Mvurya? Or just the national government’s favorite tradition: promise heaven in speeches, deliver mabati in reality?
Let’s not forget — works are crawling at snail speed, as if the contractor is measuring progress with a boda boda speed governor.
At this rate, the only “world-class” thing about Masinde Muliro Stadium will be the creativity of excuses.
From Teflon dreams to mabati reality — welcome to the stadium where promises leak faster than the roof.
