Plans to erect a state of the art Talanta Stadium at the Jamhuri Grounds have belatedly kicked off after Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba met his Defence counterpart Aden Duale.
This is seen as the first step to have the project take off as the facility is set to be constructed by personnel drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces.
Initially, the government was mulling at constructing the stadium in Shanzu as a way of boosting tourism through sports but it seems like the stakeholders involved have reverted to the initial plan.
The Talanta Stadium has been earmarked as one of the facilities to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Kasarani.
Rehabilitation works are already underway at Kasarani, the biggest sporting facility in the country.
Besides meeting the CS for defence, Namwamba who was flanked by officials from his ministry and Sports Kenya toured the Jamhuri Grounds and is expected to lead in the ground breaking ceremony that will usher in the construction works.
Kenya is in the race against time to have the two facilities in decent conditions by the time CAF officials visit for the first inspection.
Kenya, jointly with Uganda and Tanzania won the rights to host the biannual event in three years’ time.
Meanwhile, 1.4 billion shillings have been pumped to finalise the construction works at Bukhungu Stadium.
The facility was closed last week for a facelift as it is set to host the CHAN Championships later in the year.
The contractor on site aims to work on the drainage system afresh, playing surface, phase two and three of the construction of the stands, VIP area, ablution blocks, roofing among other areas.