Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Aiwit has ordered the company undertaking the construction project of Sh369 million Homa Bay County Stadium, Six Eleven Construction Company, to complete works in four months’ time.
Construction work at the 20,000-seater stadium started in July 2019 and was expected to be complete by December last year.
According to initial plans, the contractor was supposed to hand over the project to the county government at the end of this week.
Governor Awiti, his deputy Hamilton Orata, County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe and five cabinet members conducted an impromptu inspection of the site on Wednesday afternoon with hope that it would be almost ready for hand-over. However, they found workers at the site busy fixing the pavilion roof.
According to the clerk of works at the site Arol Mbima, the project is 60 per cent done. He told Awiti that major civil works have been completed.
That includes the construction of a pavilion, terraces, changing rooms, media room, offices, water storage tanks among other features.
“What is left is electrical work and the construction of the roof. Electrical work has been awarded to a different company,” said Mbima.
The contractor requested for six more months (end of July) to complete the work but Awiti reiterated that the stadium has to be handed over to the county government at end of May.
“I want major Kenyan football league matches to be held in the stadium. So the earlier the project is complete the better. This facility will resemble Wembley Stadium in London,” he said.
He promised Homa Bay residents that record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia will adopt the stadium as their home ground.
“Homa Bay is the heart of the legendary Gor Mahia who hailed from Ndhiwa. The team will shift its base to Homa Bay where it will be holding most of its matches,” said Awiti.
The contractor is expected to beautify the pavilion and construct the field and tracks to international standards.
County Sports and Culture Executive Fredrick Odero said other than football, other games like field and track events will be held at the stadium.
Sports persons, who have been having challenges accessing sports facilities which are very few in Homa Bay, will hone their skills at the stadium once it’s complete.