Photo source: westfm.co.ke
Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega is set to undergo a Sh800million facelift, starting this financial year, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has said.
Renovation of the stadium will be done in the next three phases over the next three years with Sh250 million set aside for the first phase.
“Contracts are at the evaluation stage and ground breaking will be done in two months time. We want to phase it because it’s a major project that the county can not implement at once due to budgetary constraints,” said Oparanya yesterday.
The governor said his county is committed to upgrade the stadium to international standards in a bid to attract continental and regional tournaments.
Bukhungu Stadium has been hosting Western Stima who have since relocated to Kisumu’s Kenyatta Stadium due to its poor conditions.
Currently the ground will serve as the home ground for Kenya Premier League returnees Kakamega Homeboyz this season.
Oparanya said Kakamega County has been denied international or regional action due to the poor state of the stadium. He said the stadium will be able to host competitions in other disciplines apart from football and athletics.
Oparanya said the county plans to start county youth competitions in all disciplines from the locational to the county level.
The competitions will feature soccer, athletics and netball among other disciplines and are meant to tap talent and expose them to various league clubs at different levels.
“We are working on a programme to ensure our youths are engaged throughout the year because counties will be competing against each other in various disciplines,” he said.
He said the competitions will be held during school holidays to capture students and coaches from league clubs at various levels.
-The-star.co.ke