Football fans in Meru County will now have a chance to watch Kenyan Premier League (KPL) matches after Tusker FC chose Kinoru Stadium as their home ground.
Tusker FC will be playing at Kinoru Stadium in two weeks after sealing a partnership with the county government.
Speaking during a tour of the facility by the clubs officials last week, Tusker FC CEO Charles Obiny said the stadium had met the requirements to host the club.
“We are happy that the county has allocated money to upgrade the stadium and we have ascertained that there is no hindrance to having KPL matches hosted here,” he said.
He added that they had agreed to have the stadium surface leveled.
Munya expressed his delight in the club choosing Meru among other counties saying they were committed to supporting football in the county and country.
“This will be a historical thing and we are telling football fans in Meru to get ready for an exciting journey that we have begun in sports in the county,” he added.
He said they have set aside Sh120 million to rebuild Kinoru Stadium to meet international standards. The money will be used to construct more recreational amenities for sportsmen and women.
He added that they were repossessing public land that had been grabbed to provide more room for expansion and construction of additional sporting facilities.
“The stadium is located at the town suburb and it will open up the area especially now we have a bypass passing near a hotel where the sports men and women will stay,” he added.
He said they had partnered with the Kenya Forest Service to start a jogging trail where people can jog freely and in a good environment.
He commended Meru golfers who had got together and sourced for funds to construct a golf course, which he said they will support.
Tusker FC coach Francis Kimanzi praised the commitment by the county government to support football at the grassroots, an initiative he said will encourage growth of young talent.
“I’m happy that counties are taking an active role in promoting sports, most of them are rehabilitating old stadia that had been abandoned,” Kimanzi said.
He said now with KPL teams playing in the counties, young boys and girls will have more role models to emulate and be encouraged to play football.
“We need to pull these talents deep in the grassroots through such projects and I believe through this, the future of football in the country is bound to grow to greater heights,” he concluded.
By KATHURE MUKURU, The Standard