CRBC and county officials at the site of the new stadium in Kyogong, Nyangores ward on August 5, 2026/COURTESY
The much-anticipated construction of a Sh950 million Kipchamba National Stadium in Bomet is set to enter the next phase following completion of the final topographic inspection of the site.
Officials from China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), accompanied by Bomet County officials led by acting Chief Officer for Youth and Sports Nelson Tore, conducted the final assessment on Wednesday.
Engineers and architects from the Ministry of Defence, which is overseeing the project, as well as environmental assessors, also participated in the inspection.
The exercise marks the conclusion of key preliminary technical assessments required before construction can proceed.
"The contractor is now set to mobilise to the site immediately," said Tore.
The 10,000-seater stadium is being constructed at Kyogong in Nyangores Ward, on land acquired by the Bomet County Government.
The project was officially handed over for construction in May, with the national government putting its cost at Sh950 million.
Bomet County engineers alongside CRBC engineers at the site of the new stadium on August 5, 2026/COURTESYThe facility is expected to feature a CAF-standard football pitch and a tartan athletics track, alongside facilities for other sporting disciplines.
Plans also include future development of an indoor volleyball and basketball arena and a warm-up running track on additional land around the stadium.
The project is being implemented by CRBC, with the Ministry of Defence supervising the works.
The government has projected completion of the stadium by February 2027.
The new stadium comes after the long-running Bomet IAAF Stadium project stalled despite the county government having spent more than Sh300 million on it.
The older facility was intended to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators but stalled after years of construction.
Reports indicate that more than Sh300 million had been spent before the project was abandoned.
President William Ruto had in 2023 directed the national government to take over and complete the stalled stadium.
However, the project did not resume as envisaged, with the President later handing the facility to Bomet University during its charter award ceremony in 2024.
The earlier project had also faced concerns over the structural integrity of some components, land ownership issues and inadequate funding.
A technical assessment had found parts of the facility structurally weak and recommended redesign and reconstruction of some sections.
The decision to develop Kipchamba Stadium on a new site is therefore expected to provide Bomet with a modern sports facility while ending years of uncertainty surrounding the stalled project.
The county government has previously said the new stadium will support talent development, create employment and boost local economic activity.
Governor Hillary Barchok said the facility would help position Bomet as a sports and talent development hub.
Once complete, the facility is also expected to provide a home venue for local football side APS Bomet FC, which has been forced to use facilities outside the county for some of its home matches.
The completion of the technical inspection now clears the way for the contractor to move to the construction phase, with county officials expected to work with the national government and the Ministry of Defence to monitor progress.
