Kitui Airstrip and Roads Upgraded to Boost Access Ahead of Mashujaa Day
Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, accompanied by Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe, Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi, County leadership, and officials from the National Celebrations Committee during the inspection of the Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui.
By Aoma Keziah,
The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya conducted an inspection of the Ithookwe Stadium, Kitui County, the designated venue for this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations in October.
Accompanied by Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe, Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi, County leadership, and officials from the National Celebrations Committee, the CS affirmed Government’s satisfaction with the construction Progress, which currently stands at 80% completion.
“When I first visited this site, it was a greenfield showground. Today, we stand at a nearly completed 10,000-capacity modern stadium, a testimony of the partnership between the National and County Governments. We are on schedule to hand over this facility by 6th October in readiness for Mashujaa Day,” he said
He further noted that the stadium’s pavilion, perimeter wall, and auxiliary works are the remaining focus areas to be expedited. He reiterated that beyond the October celebrations, Ithookwe Stadium will remain a critical piece of infrastructure for talent development, grassroots mobilization, and sports tourism in Kitui and the wider region.
In addition to the stadium, the Government is concurrently upgrading the Kitui airstrip and road networks around the facility to enhance accessibility for the celebrations and long-term county development.
Highlighting the broader national agenda, CS Mvurya underscored President William Ruto’s bold directive for accelerated sports infrastructure development across Kenya.
“H.E. President William Ruto’s vision for sports is bold, firm, and deliberate, anchored on the construction and upgrading of facilities to international standards. In the coming financial year, the President has directed the rollout of 30 new stadiums nationwide, with groundbreaking set for October this year. Ithookwe stands as a testament of this promise,” Mvurya stated.
He further addressed concerns regarding the stalled construction of Wote Stadium in Makueni County. The CS explained that the original plan for a 10,000-capacity facility faced significant structural and engineering challenges arising from the site’s terrain.
“For those familiar with engineering, filling up four meters across the entire site is not just expensive, it is technically impractical under the current budget framework. That is the major technical challenge we encountered with Wote,” the CS stated.
As a result, the Ministry has downgraded the current site to a 5,000-seater stadium, while working with the County Government of Makueni to allocate new land where a full 10,000-capacity stadium can be constructed, similar to the ongoing project in Kitui.
“No county will be left behind. In some regions, we will establish sports academies, in others 10,000-seater or 15,000-seater stadiums, all in line with our mandate to uplift grassroots sports and provide modern, clean facilities for our young people,” he added
The Sports CS further assured the people of Kitui that after Mashujaa Day, additional work, including installation of a tartan track, compliant changing rooms, and other modern amenities, will be undertaken to ensure Ithookwe meets full sporting standards for both local leagues and international fixtures.
“This is the time for Kitui. Hosting Mashujaa Day brings enormous opportunities, but beyond the celebrations, this facility will anchor lasting socio-economic benefits and offer a platform for youth to showcase and nurture their talents,” he concluded.
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