More questions arise on fate of Keringet stadium, following Auditor General's report

Many athletes in Nakuru can only dream of becoming the next Faith Kipyegon, a star athlete from Keringet Ward in Kuresoi South.

Currently, they follow in her footsteps, training by running along the tarmacked roads in Keringet instead of the Sh1.3 billion Keringet High Altitude Stadium.

Reason; completion of the stadium has delayed.

This project was also flagged by the Auditor general in the 2023-2024 report.

Bancy Kubutha, the Executive Director of the Center for Transformational Leadership notes the discrepancies in the use of funds, as alluded to by the report.

“According to the AG’s report, the main contractor had been paid 78 percent of the contract amount by June 2024. However, one wonders whether the payment was justified given the progress made,” she says.

She continues, “From the CIDP 2022-2027, completion of Keringet High Altitude Sports Academy has been prioritized. However, not much appears to have been done in two and a half years since the new administration took office. So, I think it’s quite unfortunate that a project with a budget of 1.2 billion has barely touched half of its allocated funds.”

According to Ms Kubutha, the incompletion of the project four years since commencement raises concerns about mismanagement of funds, delays in progress, poor execution, and a lack of transparency, all of which hinder the project’s intended impact and erode public trust.

She further highlights the consequences of the delay, stressing, “What’s most concerning to us is the lack of benefits for Nakuru County residents. The Sports Academy was intended to facilitate talent development in the county, but delays in its completion are depriving our young people of the opportunity to develop their sporting abilities and nurture their talent.”

On his part, Laban Omusundi, a good governance advocate, opines that the project is a scam intended for elites to steal and misappropriate public funds.

He questions why different phases are being started without completing the previous ones, and why additional funds are being allocated, when parts of the project remain unfinished.

“The public should rise to the occasion and demand proper direction on development projects meant to benefit them. When the public stays silent and doesn't raise the alarm, it indicates they’re comfortable, which is sad, and it creates an opportunity for corruption,” Omusundi stresses, inquiring whether oversight institutions have been compromised given their silence on the matter.

He stresses that the public has the power to correct the situation, urging that even small actions matter in making change and that it takes the effort of just one person to make a difference.

Compared to Nakuru’s neighbouring county, the home of champions (Uasin Gishu), where local and international athletes have found solace and made a significant impact on international marathons, Keringet, with its higher altitude, holds immense potential.

The completion of this project could unlock hidden talent in the county and the country, revealing star athletes who are yet to be discovered.