KENYA : Kwale stadium has received a consignment of 8,000 bucket seats designed to provide comfort and support to spectators, and fiber goalposts courtesy of the Ministry of Sports.

The items were handed over to Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani during a brief ceremony held at the 13,000-seater arena by the Sports Kenya Director General Gabriel Komora.

Governor Achani expressed her gratitude to the national government for the donations which she said will help the new look stadium meet international standards.

“This donation of sporting equipment will uplift our sports infrastructure creating opportunities for young talents to thrive at the grassroots level,” she said.

Achani said equipping the stadium will ensure that residents enjoy sporting events such as football matches in a dignified environment.

“With a seating capacity of 13,000, the Kwale Stadium is on the path to becoming a key venue for national league matches,” said Achani adding that the initiative will cement the place of Kwale as a potential sporting powerhouse.

Achani also assured of her government’s readiness to promote sporting activities across Kwale with a view to encouraging youth participation to showcase their talents.

She says it’s high time the youth shun drug consumption and substance abuse and embrace sports so they can be self-reliant and become role models in society.

DG Komora said that the 8,000 seats and modern goal posts are just a few of the many areas of support the Ministry of Sports will direct to Kwale to make sure raw talents of the coastal county are developed from the initial stages.

“I am here to represent the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Salim Mvurya who has sent me to deliver the seats to this state-of-the-art stadium in Kwale. The main objective is uplifting the face of the stadium to reach national standards where national league matches can be hosted,” said Komora.

He said the national government was committed to having the new stadium fully refurbished to meet international standards and enhance the experience of players and spectators.

The new multi-million shillings stadium was constructed by the national government in 2024 in time to host last year’s 61st Mashujaa Day Celebrations on October 20, 2024.

The new stadium complex features a football pitch, running track, basketball court and facilities for other ball games and is expected to have a transformative impact on sports in the county and the entire coastal region.