Nyayo National stadium to get a modern canopy after the facelift
By IP Sports Reporter
Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya’s race to modernize its stadiums seems to have two speeds — sprinting at Nyayo and crawling in Kanduyi.
At Nyayo National Stadium, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya says the tartan track is 90 percent complete and should be ready within the week.
Once done, the government will roll out a sleek canopy to crown the facelift.
“These refurbishments are a clear investment in professional sporting infrastructure, positioning our stadiums to host local and international competitions at the highest standards,” Mvurya said during an inspection tour.
However Bungoma’s Kanduyi, Masinde Muliro Stadium tells a different story — one of promises running out of breath.
The canopy that was once touted as high-tech Teflon is now turning out to be good old iron sheets.
“The government said it would use Teflon for the cover, now we’re watching ordinary mabati going up,” joked James Wekesa, a local resident.
Another, Grace Achieng, added with a laugh, “At this pace, even the cows grazing nearby will finish school before the contractor finishes this stadium.”
The list of unfinished work reads like a never-ending project memo — tartan track, main dais, painting, furniture, seats, grass, lighting, training ground — all still pending.
Meanwhile, Governor Ken Lusaka, whose offices sit inside the stadium, has maintained Olympic-level silence.
For now, residents say the only thing moving fast at Masinde Muliro is the rumor mill — and maybe the wind whistling through those shiny new iron sheets.
