China’s CRBC Begins Work on Talanta Stadium

Extensive excavation work is underway at the site of the upcoming Talanta Stadium in Nairobi, marking the start of Kenya’s biggest stadium project in 37 years.

Situated within the Jamhuri Grounds in Lang’ata, the 60,000-capacity stadium, which broke ground on March 1, is being undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) under supervision of the Kenya Defense Forces.

Talanta Stadium is expected to be one of the venues for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, who toured the project on Thursday, said he was impressed by the rapid progress made, expressing confidence in completing the stadium by December 2025.

“Looking at the pace of work going on here, no doubt that we are well within our timelines. I’m very confident that Talanta Sports City is well on track for our December 2025 target to test it ahead of AFCON 2027,” Mr Namwamba said.

Groundbreaking for the Talanta Sports City (the official name of the stadium) was held on March 1 in an event that was officiated by President William Ruto.

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Initially, the Chinese contractor was believed to be undertaking the project, whose costs remain undisclosed, on an engineering, procurement, construction basis.

However, Sports Principal Secretary, Peter Tum, recently informed Parliament that the project would be done through a Public-Private Partnership.

“We will be able to see how somebody can adopt and run it. It is not final… [talks are ongoing] on how to generate funds using that stadium,” he said.

Under a PPP financing model, a company builds a facility and operates it for some years to recoup its investment before handing over the asset to the State.

Talanta Sports City will be the first stadium constructed by the Kenyan government to meet international standards since 1987, when a collaborative effort with China led to the creation of Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The regime of Kenya’s second President, Daniel Arap Moi is credited with the construction of the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi from scratch in 1983.

In the meantime, the refurbishment of Kasarani Stadium is well underway, with completion expected by the end of this year.

Works on Nyayo Stadium are set to commence shortly thereafter, and the responsibility for overseeing the renovations is assigned to the KDF.

The renovation of Kasarani is ongoing since January when it was closed.

However, renovation works have not yet started at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret. The government has assured there is no cause for alarm as the project is budgeted.

The stadiums are slated to host AFCON matches in 2027.

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