Talanta Stadium will restore Kenya’s sporting glory, says Ruto

President William Ruto/ HANDOUT 

President William Ruto is confident that the Talanta Sports City, currently under construction at the Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi, will be a game-changer in Kenya’s quest to reclaim its place as a sporting powerhouse on the African continent.

‎The 60,000-seater football-only stadium is one of the flagship venues for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania under the Pamoja Bid that triumphed in April 2023.

‎The project, which started on March 1, 2024, is being executed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), with a projected completion timeline of two years. 

‎Once complete, it will be the largest purpose-built sports facility in the country since the iconic Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, which opened in 1987 ahead of the All-Africa Games.

‎Speaking Wednesday at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) during the ceremonial bell-ringing for LINZI FinCo Trusts' Sh44.7 billion Infrastructure Asset-Backed Security (IABS), Ruto underscored the transformative impact of the stadium on Kenya’s sporting future.

‎"With a 60,000-seater capacity, Talanta Sports City is not merely filling that long-standing gap; it is redefining the nation’s sporting landscape," Ruto said.

‎‎He emphasised that the ultra-modern facility will not only attract top-tier global tournaments but also serve as a cradle for nurturing local talent, reviving Kenya’s long-standing reputation as a continental sporting juggernaut.

‎‎"This modern, world-class complex is designed to host global tournaments, foster local talent, and restore Kenya’s reputation as a sporting powerhouse."

‎Ruto noted that Talanta Sports City marks a historic return to investment in high-calibre sporting infrastructure, a first in over four decades.

‎"The Talanta Sports City marks Kenya’s first large-scale, purpose-built international stadium project in more than 40 years," he added.

‎‎"The last comparable undertaking was the construction of Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, completed in 1987 ahead of the All-Africa Games."

‎He added that Kenya has since been relying on aged infrastructure. "Since then, Kenya has relied on ageing ‎infrastructure, with no new international-standard stadium built ‎from the ground up — until now."

‎The head of state further lauded the listing of the Linzi 003 IABS on the NSE, describing it as a pivotal step in leveraging capital markets to fund transformative national projects.

‎‎"The listing of the Linzi 003 Infrastructure Asset-Backed Security is a landmark achievement. It affirms our confidence in market-based financing and demonstrates how we can sustainably fund large-scale infrastructure through our capital markets.

‎He confirmed that the funds will go into financing the construction of the Talanta Sports City. "The proceeds from this listing will directly support the construction of the Talanta Sports City Stadium, a compelling example of how financial markets can accelerate national transformation."

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