Table of Contents
- He said that despite athletics putting Kenya on the global map, the government focuses more on football than athletics
- Omanyala expressed his concern adding that the field and track season is around the corner
- Nyayo National Stadium and Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani which have been closed for months now
Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala is pleading with the government to reopen Nyayo National Stadium and Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, which have been closed for months.
Omanyala expressed his concern, adding that the field and track season is around the corner. Yet, these two major stadiums, where athletes train and track events are hosted, are closed for renovation.
Why are Kasarani and Nyayo Stadiums Closed?
The two stadiums in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi were closed for renovation ahead of 2027 AFCON and the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are set to co-host 2025 CHAN from August 2 to August 30. This is the first time that East Africa will host the football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Domestic league players from African countries participate in the month-long tournament. The idea behind it is to bolster African football by strengthening domestic leagues.
Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani. Photo/YouTube
Why Does Ferdinand Omanyala Want Nyayo Stadium Opened?
Nicknamed the fastest man in Africa, Ferdinand Omanyala says that they don’t have a place to train. The closure of Nyayo Stadium and Kasarani has forced athletes to look for alternatives.
He explained that he has, in some instances, trained on murram track surfaces which isn’t ideal for a sprinter. He said solid tracks such as those in Kasarani and Moi are the bare minimum for training as an elite athlete.
In expressing his frustration, he said that renovations have taken too long. The stadiums were shut down in 2024 and remain closed three months into 2025.
His biggest worry is the lack of proper training facilities ahead of the World Indoor Championships 2025 in Nanjing, China. The championships start on March 21 – 23.
World Relays in Guangzhou follow thereafter in May. With these high-stake athlete events, Ferdinand Omanyala feels disadvantaged, blaming the government for renovation delays.
Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala. Photo/KenyanVibe
“It’s frustrating because these renovations have dragged on for too long. It’s already March and athletes are still training on murram yet they’ll soon be competing against rivals who have been sharpening their speed on proper tartan tracks,” he told The Star.
Omanyala, a 100m gold medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham asked the Ministry of Sports to build tartan tracks for sprinters.
He said that despite athletics putting Kenya on the global map, the government focuses more on football than athletics. The 29-year-old sprinter said that both sports should get equal support.
He urged the sports ministry under Salim Mvurya to work closely with Athletics Kenya in addressing all concerns raised by athletes.
Although he has trained on Murram tracks in the past months, he was allowed to use Kenyatta University’s track to train recently.
Kip Keino Stadium
Far from the city stadiums, Ferdinand Omanyala challenged the government to expedite the completion of Eldoret’s Kip Keino stadium. Kip Keino is an important facility for Kenyan athletes in the Rift Valley.
Its completion will give athletes an alternative for training. He would consider training in Eldoret if the stadium was complete.
Stephen Mwaniki, a sprints coach stated that traction matters most for sprinters like Omanyala. The explosion of power needed in sprinting is never acquired on murram tracks.
A proper surface grip with tartan grips propels an athlete to sprint and maintain traction and speed throughout the sprint.
Meanwhile, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host the 2027 AFCON. This necessitated the renovation of Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium.
It’s the first time in history that Africa’s biggest football tournament will be held in East Africa.
