The ongoing upgrade of the Bukhungu Stadium will be complete in time to host African Nations Championships (CHAN) 2024 matches in September.
Kakamega governor Fernandes Barasa said the stadium will have met the minimum standards to host international matches before September.
The stadium which successfully hosted the Cecafa Under-18 Championships is also expected to host matches of the 2027 African Cup of Nations (Afcon), which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
Upgrading of the stadium is being undertaken through collaboration between the county and the national government.
The county government has so far spent She 875 million; Sh475 million and Sh400 million respectively on the initial phases.
The first phase involved offices of the county government, 200 capacity parking space, construction of stands, VIP and VVIP rooms, a doping control room and two changing rooms among others.
The second phase comprised the main VIP Stand, building terraces, gym room, six changing rooms, and dispensary room among others.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba launched the construction of the third phase; the ‘C’ section on January 18.
The stadium is currently closed for four months to allow for the upgrade of the stadium shed for the CHAN and Afcon events.
“We are on schedule to deliver this stadium to host CHAN 2024. As you can see, we have already done stripping of the playing field. In the next three months the stadium will be ready then grass will be planted and the drainage laid,” Barasa said while inspecting the construction works.
“The C-section is one of the areas that is crucial for CHAN because we are seeking to have 24,000 capacity. After the renovations and completion, CHAN officials will be here to inspect the stadium by the end of June,” he said.
Areas earmarked in the southern ‘C’ Section included lighting, changing rooms, natural ground converted to Caf standards, sitting areas, ablution blocks, and VIP changing rooms among others which will be done in the next three months.
The county chief said the total cost of the stadium’s completion will be released in due course as the valuation of different aspects was still in progress.
He said that the hosting of the continental championships will boost the local economy.
