Editor's Review

  • Despite the renovation works gobbling up Ksh700 million and taking so long, on Saturday raw sewerage from the stadium escorted human traffic and motorists, snaking through trenches on Lang'ata road towards the Nyayo roundabout. 
  • This was a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta reopened the stadium that has been closed for renovations since 2017.   

Nyayo Stadium on Saturday hosted the Nairobi Leg of Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour with both Deputy President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga in attendance.

This was a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta reopened the stadium that has been closed for renovations since 2017. 

Plastic seats in the colours of the Kenyan flag replaced the concrete slab that spectators sat on for many years making a colourful sports arena.

Despite the renovation works gobbling up Ksh700 million and taking so long, on Saturday raw sewerage from the stadium escorted human traffic and motorists, snaking through trenches on Lang'ata road towards the Nyayo roundabout.


Tiry security personnel from the national police service and members of the National Youth Service manning the stadium on the outside along the road were immersed in the stench.

It is now emerging that while the stadium could host at about 45,000, waste management systems could be frail or may have been overlooked in the upgrade. The fresh wastewater crawled on the dry leaves as they crackled to signal blockage, overflow or breakage.

The stadium's waste disposal infrastructure now stand in the way of the commissioning of the stadium that is scheduled for December.


President Kenyatta during the reopening ceremony directed the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage to work round the clock to ensure the facilities are completed and ready for commissioning.

The international sports bodies who sent their representatives to inspect the facility rated the 'Arena of Champions' among the best on the African continent.