Construction of Mombasa Municipal Stadium Resumes After 13 Years as Stakeholders Eye AFCON 2027 Opportunities
After more than 13 years of delays, construction of the KSh1.7 billion Mombasa Municipal Stadium has resumed, with football stakeholders hopeful the facility will boost sports development and support Kenya’s preparations for AFCON 2027.
Construction workers at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium site following the resumption of works on the long-delayed KSh1.7 billion sports facility, which stakeholders hope will be completed by December.
Work has started again on the Mombasa Municipal Stadium after being stopped for over 13 years. This has given football fans and local residents new hope that the city will soon have back one of Kenya’s most historic sports venues. People are also looking at the chances AFCON 2027 might bring.
This KSh1.7 billion project is getting going again because President William Ruto announced in February that the national government would take it over and finish it, with the Ministry of Defence in charge.
Work started earlier this week, but only a few workers were seen there, and no soldiers seemed to be around at the start.
Alamin Ahmed Abdalla, who chairs the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Mombasa Branch, said it was good that the government stepped in. He called the restart of work a big help for sports in the area.
Alamin said, “We’re happy to see work finally starting again after so many years. We’re asking the government and the builder to speed things up so the stadium can be done by the time the President promised.”
He mentioned that the stadium could be really useful during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya will host with other nearby countries.
He added, “Hopefully, next year Kenya will host AFCON. It would be amazing if this stadium is finished on time and can be used as a practice ground for some of the teams playing. We hope the President’s promise that it will be ready by December comes true.”
Alamin also pointed out the money it could bring in for Mombasa, especially for hotels and tourism.
He said, “Mombasa has some of the country’s best five-star hotels. If the stadium is finished, teams visiting could choose to stay here, which would create lots of business for local shops and services.”
Besides making money, Alamin thinks the stadium will help local football players get better and feel more confident.
He noted, “This is one of Kenya’s oldest and most important sports places. Once it’s done, it will completely change football in the area and motivate a new group of young players.”
Former referee Evans Mwachia also liked that the project is starting up again. He asked the builders to hire more people, especially young people from the area.
Mwachia said, “As people who care about this, we’re happy that work has started again from where it stopped. Once it’s finished, it will be good for players, referees, and everyone else.”
He also asked the government to make sure the project stays on track.
He added, “We know they want to finish by December. Hiring more workers, especially young people from here, will help finish it faster and create jobs people really need.”
Local football coach Oliver Obango said the stadium could also be important for the community, giving young people chances and helping with problems like drug abuse.
Obango remembered, “We grew up watching international games here, with teams from places like Nigeria and Tanzania. It made the city proud.”
He added, “Once it’s done, it will give hope and drive to many young people, especially those who might turn to drugs because they don’t have enough chances or good examples to follow.”
The Mombasa Municipal Stadium project stopped over ten years ago after the old building was torn down to make way for a new sports center. Now that work is starting again, local people and sports fans are hopeful that the stadium they’ve waited so long for will finally be built.
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