Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has issued a clarification following uproar from Kenyans over the plan to rename the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Kapsabet would be renamed after President William Ruto.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 9, Governor Sang said the new facility will continue to honour Olympic legend Kipchoge Keino while embracing Ruto’s legacy as a transformative leader.
“The new Kipchoge Keino Stadium will not only honour the extraordinary legacy of our athletic hero, Kipchoge Keino, but also reflect our rich heritage as the birthplace of global athletic icons. It will further cement the President’s legacy as a transformative leader in the sporting sector.
“As we advance this project, we remain committed to working closely with all stakeholders in the sporting fraternity to ensure that the identities of the two Kipchoge Keino stadia in Eldoret and Kapsabet are preserved and clearly distinguished,” he stated.
The Nandi Governor pointed out that the Stadium, originally situated on an eight-acre parcel, was being relocated to a larger parcel outside the Kapsabet Showground, Nandi County.
He explained that the move was necessary to enable the upgrade of the stadium to a modern facility capable of housing a range of sporting activities.
“In Nandi County, we are proud beneficiaries of this progress. The Kipchoge Keino Stadium, initially located on an 8-acre parcel, has now been relocated to a more expansive 15-acre section carved out of the Showground.
“This move provides the space required for a modern, state-of-the-art facility that will support a wide range of sporting disciplines far beyond athletics and football, which the current facility accommodates,” he stated.
Governor Sang on Monday announced that the stadium will be renamed William Ruto Stadium once completed.
The Nandi Governor said the move is aimed at removing confusion since there is another Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
“We are building a stadium here, but because we already have Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, and this one is also named Kipchoge Keino. We will rename it William Ruto Stadium,” he said.
