President William Ruto has directed the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to remain on site until construction of Masinde Muliro Stadium is completed.
While presiding over the 61st Madaraka Day in Bungoma County, the President said the stadium whose construction has been ongoing for more than three decades will be completed in due course.
“This stadium that has been built for the last 35 years, and all that space was not done. I want to commit to the people of Bungoma that the contractor will not leave site and that the people in charge especially the military officers in charge will be here until this stadium is completed and made available for the people of this county and Kenyans,” said President Ruto.
KDF has been involved in construction works in preparations for the national holiday.
The 15,000 capacity stadium has remained underutilised for years due to lack of funding.
“We could not as a county government have achieved this and to this standards of the stadium even if we saved for the next twenty years,” said Kenneth Lusaka, Governor Bungoma County.
President Ruto further warned those who have grabbed public land meant for development of the stadium to vacate with immediate effect.
“Let me also ask the people around this stadium especially those who have decided to acquire some of the public land, please anybody who has land around here and know it belongs to the government please pack up and leave, we want to develop all this land,” added the President.
The President further called on Bungoma County government to secure land adjacent to Matulo Airstrip before the national government moves in to construct a new terminal as well as extend the runway from the current 1.1km to accommodate larger aircrafts.
