Earlier on Tuesday morning, a video emerged showing the poor state of the Kasarani National Stadium. The Stadium is one of the only two fully functioning Stadiums in Nairobi. The other is the Ruaraka Stadium which is home to Kenya Premier League side Tusker FC.
The footage shows litter made of cigarettes, beer, and water cans plus other plastic material. It comes as a surprise to many as the Stadium was renovated by giant betting firm SportPesa only last year.
To make matters worse, the playing pitch is deteriorating and the grass is dry as witnessed when the National football team Harambee Stars played against Uganda Cranes last weekend.
Two other stadia in Nairobi, the City Stadium and the Nyayo National stadium have been closed for three and five years respectively to undergo renovations. This has caused Nairobi based Kenya Premier League teams to look for alternatives while hosting their home legs.
Team travel as far as to Kisumu and Kakamega which leads to loss of revenue as not all fans can afford such trips every other weekend. The Stadium management charges Kenya Premier League teams Kshs 30,000 a game for maintenance and upkeep.
On seeing the Video, Kenyans were quick to blast the management and relevant bodies for what they termed as greed and negligence. Below are some of the reactions..
This is a national embarrassment. What exactly does Sports Kenya do? pic.twitter.com/UVwmnV2Ayn
— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) September 9, 2019
That all place is a mess. The parking area outside is all bushy with grass growing on the tarmac
— Brian (@yobran) September 9, 2019
And we expect them to manage another 9 stadiums which W Ruto is building all over the country. The tender to replace that tap has not been issued due to lack of funds 😂😂
— Pablo Esckobar (@zaRealPablo) September 9, 2019
No Kenyan should be surprised at the incompetence of Jubilee and Kenyan government as a whole. I know am not.
— MJ (@ItsMJ254) September 9, 2019
Can they do something about this shame? I’ll snitch to the football governing body, F*FA if they don’t.
Aibu ndogo ndogo.— Charlie… (@ChazMuriithi) September 9, 2019
Disgraceful…Even more so when you think of all those Millions been looted every day in the name of Nation building?
Such a sad state of affairs?
National disgrace…
— Omar Billow (@OmarBillow1) September 9, 2019
What a SHAME!
— Odhiambo Akuom © (@OdhiamboAkuom) September 10, 2019
There’s nothing to be done. The sports ministry is a shame.
Look at Tanzania stadiums you will love to go and watch games there.Sooo much pathetic affair in kasarani
— Kiema (@kisvile) September 10, 2019
This is just pathetic… 😳😳😳😳
— Mattoh Mattoh (@mattoh20) September 10, 2019
Does that justify the negligence to our stadium?my point is…what Rwanda has gone through and what their goverment have achieved…is simply remarkable…whereby the Kenyan ministries are just jokers…
— Ijaz Sumra (@jazvannazir) September 10, 2019