A KSh900 million stadium promised by President William Ruto has moved from pledge to construction at Kanamkemer Ward in Lodwar, Turkana Central with the government setting a nine-month deadline for completion of the 10,000-seat Ekalees Sports Stadium.
Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru and Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai inspected the site on Tuesday as the Ministry of Defence took responsibility for supervising construction.
“We are here under the directive of H.E. the President, who came here last year and promised that Lodwar will have a stadium,” Mariru said. “The Ministry of Defence will be supervising the construction, and I am here to assure the Governor that work begins now.”
The project has been in preparation for several months now. The advance teams held consultations with the County, conducted site visits and inspections, initiated geotechnical survey works and handed over the site to the contractor.
The stadium is expected to include an international-standard football pitch according to the standards approved by World Football governing body FIFA, an eight-lane athletics track according to IAAF, changing rooms, water and electricity connections, a VIP lounge and a weather-protection canopy.
PS Mariru said construction was expected to take nine months and challenged the project team to finish ahead of schedule.
“Governor, start ticking today... and let's talk after nine months,” he said.
The deadline places completion around May 2027, weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations begins in the three host nations of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in East Africa between June 19th and July 17th 2027.
CAF expects the tournament to attract more than 1.5 million fans across the three host nations.
Reports indicate that the Governor and professionals from Turkana and the wider Ateker region are pushing for the new stadium to get a slice of the continental competition either as match venue or training facility for some of the participating teams. So far, CAF is yet to release the host cities and stadiums for the tournament.
The project comes at a time that Kenya is expanding it's critical infrastructure to build a wider economic ecosystem around sport, entertainment and creative talent. Apart from Lodwar, PS Mariru confirmed that more than 23 other locations had been earmarked for stadia project across the nation.
The Defence Ministry is already overseeing major sports infrastructure projects, including the 60,000-seat Raila Amollo Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City in Nairobi and upgrades of both Nyayo and Kasarani sport complex.
According to Governor Lomorukai, the significance of the project extends beyond football.
The Governor said the stadium would give young people a modern facility for sport and talent development while creating opportunities for businesses around construction and future events.
“The stadium ... is an essential facility that the youth of Turkana have been asking for,” he said.
The Governor believes that the stadium will further cement the status of Lodwar as the undisputed capital of the Ateker, an outfit that brings together communities from the neighbouring Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia sharing the same language and cultural heritage.
Under the leadership of Governor Lomorukai, Turkana has exploited the cultural legacy as a tool for diplomacy through ceremonies such as Tobonglore and Ateker Cup of Nations, largely ending the persistent wars and animosities among border communities in the area.
Lomorukai said outstanding land acquisition issues would be resolved in consultation with the local MCA and community leaders, promising to ensure that the locals benefit from employment and supply opportunities during the construction phase.
Jackson Nakusa, a senior county sports official and chair of the Turkana Professionals Association, said the growing number of young people pursuing sport and other talent-based ventures had increased the need for modern facilities.
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