CS Koinange: New Nanyuki Stadium To Grow Sports, Economy and Talent

By Fatuma Rashid

Sports and talent development in Laikipia County has received a major boost following plans to upgrade the 10,000-seater Nanyuki Stadium through an intergovernmental partnership.

The project will be jointly implemented by the County Government of Laikipia and the National Government, with construction support from the Ministry of Defence.

Under the arrangement, the county will provide land for the project while the National Government will fully finance construction, a model increasingly used to accelerate major public infrastructure delivery.

County Secretary Koinange Wahome said the stadium would expand access to quality sports facilities and provide local talent with opportunities to train and compete at higher levels.

“This stadium is about opening doors for our youth, nurturing talent, and creating opportunities that extend beyond sports into jobs and local enterprise,” Wahome said.

The project follows a directive by President William Ruto, who announced the construction of stadiums in Nanyuki and Nyahururu during a recent development tour of the region.

Ruto has previously said investment in sports infrastructure is central to talent development, youth empowerment and local economic growth, particularly outside major urban centres.

Earlier on Wednesday, Wahome hosted a multi-agency technical team for site inspections and preliminary assessments ahead of detailed design and construction planning.

The delegation included officials from the Ministry of Defence, representatives from the Ministry of Sports, and engineers from China Roads and Bridges Corporation.

The visit focused on surveying, feasibility studies and alignment on technical standards, marking a key milestone before ground-breaking works begin.

Once completed, the stadium will feature a standard football pitch, an eight-lane athletics track, modern covered stands, changing rooms, ablution blocks, a VIP lounge and a secure perimeter fence.

The facility is expected to meet national competition standards and host sporting, cultural and public events, expanding Laikipia’s capacity to stage regional and national fixtures.

Wahome said the project would position Nanyuki as a regional sports hub while stimulating the local economy through employment, sports tourism and small business growth.

“The benefits will be felt well beyond match days. This is long-term infrastructure for community growth and cohesion,” he said, citing anticipated investments in hotels and accommodation.

He reiterated the County’s commitment to ensure that all grabbed public land across the region is reverted and used for construction of new or expansion of sporting facilities. Already, the County is working with the Ministry of Lands and the Ethics and anti corruption Commission.

The Kenya Defence Forces has been tasked with overseeing several stadium projects nationwide to ensure quality delivery. Similar projects include Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Wajir Stadium, Afraha Stadium, and Moi Stadium.

Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has said KDF-led projects are designed to deliver durable facilities while supporting broader government development priorities.

“Through the Kenya Defence Forces, we will ensure our sports facilities meet international standards,” Tuya said at a recent ground-breaking ceremony in Nakuru City.

The decision to entrust KDF with the renovations and upgrades of the stadia stems from their remarkable acheivement in constructing the 10,000-seater Ulinzi Complex in Nairobi in 18 months.

Sports officials said the Nanyuki stadium would anchor a sporting triangle linking civilian clubs, KDF and the British Army Training Unit Kenya, strengthening community cohesion and military–civilian relations.

BATUK conducts joint exercises involving Kenyan and British troops. The stadium is also expected to host military games and sporting events that promote sports diplomacy and deepen UK–Kenya defence cooperation.