A new audit report has cast a shadow over billions of shillings invested in stadium construction across Kenya, raising troubling questions about procurement, stalled projects, and whether taxpayers are getting value for their money.
In her latest report on Sports Kenya for the financial year ending June 2025, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu flagged several sports infrastructure projects plagued by procurement irregularities, weak planning, and slow implementation.
At the centre of the audit is the high-profile Talanta Stadium project, whose design, construction, and equipping is valued at Sh45.8 billion. According to the report, the contract was awarded through direct procurement, a move the Auditor-General says did not meet the legal threshold required for such a massive project.
Even more concerning is the Sh11 billion funding gap. While the National Treasury approved Sh35 billion for the stadium, the total contract value stands at Sh45.8 billion, creating what the audit describes as an unsupported price variation.
Despite construction reaching 44.5 percent completion by June 2025, only Sh2 billion — about 4.5 percent of the contract value — had been paid. The report warns that delayed payments could expose the government to additional costs, as the contract allows interest to accrue on overdue payments at three percent above the Central Bank of Kenya base lending rate.
The audit also questioned whether the project had even been properly planned before procurement began. According to the report, there was no evidence that the project had been budgeted for or included in an approved procurement plan. In addition, Sports Kenya management failed to provide documents confirming ownership of the land where the stadium is being constructed.
But Talanta Stadium is not the only project raising eyebrows.
The audit also flagged Sh2.16 billion worth of contracts awarded to a single contractor for works at facilities including Raila Odinga Stadium and Kamariny Stadium. Auditors say there was little evidence to show the contracts were competitively awarded, with critical documents such as tender opening minutes and evaluation reports missing.
On the ground, inspections revealed a worrying picture.
At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium, floodlights valued at Sh30.6 million could not be verified because the stadium has not yet been connected to electricity. Another 16 floodlights worth Sh4.07 million were still sitting unused in storage boxes.
At Wote Stadium in Makueni County, construction remains incomplete more than eight years after the expected completion date, with key facilities such as a tartan track and borehole yet to be finished.
Meanwhile, a tartan athletics track installed at Kirubia Stadium in 2021 at Sh41.55 million has already deteriorated beyond repair.
In another case, part of the terraces at Kipchoge Keino Stadium, built at an estimated Sh150 million, had to be demolished to meet standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
The audit also highlighted stalled works at Kamariny Stadium, where the original contractor completed only about 30 percent of the project before the contract was terminated. Efforts to recover Sh24 million paid as an advance payment had not succeeded by the time the audit was conducted.
Across several projects, the Auditor-General says it is difficult to confirm whether public funds were properly used.
“In the circumstances, the propriety of the expenditure and value for money could not be confirmed,” the report states.
The revelations are likely to spark fresh debate about how mega government projects are managed in Kenya.
With billions already spent and major international tournaments such as AFCON 2027 approaching, the big question remains: are these stadium projects a strategic investment for the country or another costly example of poor oversight and accountability?
Source: The Star News
In her latest report on Sports Kenya for the financial year ending June 2025, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu flagged several sports infrastructure projects plagued by procurement irregularities, weak planning, and slow implementation.
At the centre of the audit is the high-profile Talanta Stadium project, whose design, construction, and equipping is valued at Sh45.8 billion. According to the report, the contract was awarded through direct procurement, a move the Auditor-General says did not meet the legal threshold required for such a massive project.
Even more concerning is the Sh11 billion funding gap. While the National Treasury approved Sh35 billion for the stadium, the total contract value stands at Sh45.8 billion, creating what the audit describes as an unsupported price variation.
Despite construction reaching 44.5 percent completion by June 2025, only Sh2 billion — about 4.5 percent of the contract value — had been paid. The report warns that delayed payments could expose the government to additional costs, as the contract allows interest to accrue on overdue payments at three percent above the Central Bank of Kenya base lending rate.
The audit also questioned whether the project had even been properly planned before procurement began. According to the report, there was no evidence that the project had been budgeted for or included in an approved procurement plan. In addition, Sports Kenya management failed to provide documents confirming ownership of the land where the stadium is being constructed.
But Talanta Stadium is not the only project raising eyebrows.
The audit also flagged Sh2.16 billion worth of contracts awarded to a single contractor for works at facilities including Raila Odinga Stadium and Kamariny Stadium. Auditors say there was little evidence to show the contracts were competitively awarded, with critical documents such as tender opening minutes and evaluation reports missing.
On the ground, inspections revealed a worrying picture.
At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium, floodlights valued at Sh30.6 million could not be verified because the stadium has not yet been connected to electricity. Another 16 floodlights worth Sh4.07 million were still sitting unused in storage boxes.
At Wote Stadium in Makueni County, construction remains incomplete more than eight years after the expected completion date, with key facilities such as a tartan track and borehole yet to be finished.
Meanwhile, a tartan athletics track installed at Kirubia Stadium in 2021 at Sh41.55 million has already deteriorated beyond repair.
In another case, part of the terraces at Kipchoge Keino Stadium, built at an estimated Sh150 million, had to be demolished to meet standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
The audit also highlighted stalled works at Kamariny Stadium, where the original contractor completed only about 30 percent of the project before the contract was terminated. Efforts to recover Sh24 million paid as an advance payment had not succeeded by the time the audit was conducted.
Across several projects, the Auditor-General says it is difficult to confirm whether public funds were properly used.
“In the circumstances, the propriety of the expenditure and value for money could not be confirmed,” the report states.
The revelations are likely to spark fresh debate about how mega government projects are managed in Kenya.
With billions already spent and major international tournaments such as AFCON 2027 approaching, the big question remains: are these stadium projects a strategic investment for the country or another costly example of poor oversight and accountability?
Source: The Star News