Kericho Green Stadium gets the nod to host KPL games

The Kericho Green Stadium has been given the green light to host top-flight league matches in what is a timely boost for newly promoted Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Zoo Kericho FC.

The club used the stadium as their home base throughout the 2016 National Super League (NSL) season and, in the latter stages of the campaign shared the ground with Shabana FC.

However, questions were raised as to whether the facility met the KPL threshold after Zoo earned promotion forcing the club to consider shifting to the newly constructed Narok Stadium.

The County Government of Kericho has since moved to put in place a perimeter wall and proper sanitation that were lacking paving way for the stadium to be approved as a KPL venue.

“We are happy that the concerns have been addressed and we can now host our home matches here. The face-lifting done by the Government was timely and we’re good to go,” Football Kenya Federation (FKF) South Rift Branch Secretary Alfred Kirui told Citizen Digital.

The areas that needed improvement were marked out last week by KPL inspectorate officials who had toured the facility ahead of the delayed kick-off to the 2017 season.

A total of Ksh10m was allocated for the rehabilitation of the facility that has been left to ruin with Athletics Kenya Kericho County Vice-chairman, Gabriel Kiptanui, saying the benefits of the face lift will extend beyond football.

The County Chief Officer in charge of Sports and Education, Bernard Korir, said they are looking for extra funds from donors, sponsors and companies as they aim to acquire more facilities.

“We are using the money for construction of offices, changing rooms, toilets, inside and outside perimeter walls at the stadium and we are happy with the works progress as per now. We are very serious on sports matters besides others issues in the department,” Korir said.

-Report by Kimutai Kering