Kasarani To Be Closed As Government Approves KShs 332m Budget For Renovations

NAIROBI, Kenya- The Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani will be closed on March 16 for renovations ahead of the World Athletics Continental Tour and IAAF Under-20 Championships which are set for May and July respectively.

The Kenyan government approved a KSh332mn budget and Sports Kenya Director General Pius Metto says works at the stadium will begin immediately with contractors already tendered and everything will be finalized by the end of April, in time for the Continental Tour.

Metto went ahead to state that both the stadium and the warm up track will be closed with the only accessible facilities over that duration being the hotel, aquatic arena and the indoor arena.

“We have the budget already approved. There was only one condition which we were asked to meet, of opening an independent bank account which we have already done. 

"We wrote to treasury for approval of the account and it has been approved. We will get back to the Sports Fund and they will release the monies,” Metto stated.

He also asserts that the Police Post constructed next to the warm up track in the build up to the World Under-18 Championship will be moved to a new location, with the structure set to be reverted to an ablution block and changing rooms.

The expected closure of the facility now all but confirms that Kenya’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Comoros which had been scheduled for March 25 will consequently be off.

“That match will not go on. As at now, that is the position we know of,” Sports Kenya chairman Fred Muteti explained.

With Kasarani set to be closed, booth Muteti and Metto have confirmed that the Nyayo National Stadium is set to be opened in the next two weeks to offer an alternative training and match venue.

The stadium has been closed for the last three years for never ending renovations but Muteti states that at the moment it is ‘95% ready’.

“Nyayo is almost complete and in the next one week, we will be able to make an announcement on when it will be opened. We are doing some small final touches on the swimming pool and gymnasium and soon we will be able to move to Nyayo,” Muteti noted.