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Kenyans have come out guns blazing against Sports Kenya for allowing a religious event in the middle of the pitch at Nyayo Stadium just weeks after renovations.
Sports Kenya, the state body mandated to manage stadia in the country, has been criticised for allowing a gospel event to be held on the Nyayo Stadium pitch.
Kenyans expressed their disappointment after images of tents erected in the middle of the pitch at the stadium with chairs inside surfaced on social media on Monday evening.
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The two-day crusade, dubbed ‘Holy Ghost Fire Conference’ is set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday with the key speaker being South African-born American evangelist Dr. Rodney Morgan Howard-Browne.
Given Nyayo was briefly closed last month for some renovations ahead of Kakamega Homeboyz' CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round clash against Al Hilal Benghazi of Libya and is one of the venues earmarked to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations if the EAC Pamoja Bid of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania is successful, Kenyans could not understand why the pitch is being used for the religious event.
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“Now, Nyayo Stadium is preparing to host a gospel event called “The Holyghost Fire Conference,” intended to symbolically vanquish the devil and rekindle spirits, but the plans seem to have overlooked the souls of the flora and fauna, also reliant on this grass as their biome for survival. Regrettably, they too shall fall victim to the metaphorical flames, they’ll die,” commented a concerned Kenyan.
“A tent right in the middle of Nyayo Stadium. There is a crusade. The grass is always never covered. Although the grass is a bit long - I guess the playing surface will be fixed properly, holes covered after the crusade,” said another one.
“A tent pitched at the middle of Nyayo Stadium pitch in readiness for a crusade! We are a doomed nation.”
Some were not happy to see what they termed the government making a few steps ahead and many backward with Sports CS Ababu Namwamba and Sports Kenya boss Pius Meto singled out for blame.
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“Instead of (the) government renovating Nyayo Stadium to international stadiums they have decided to allow a crusade!” wondered another Kenyan.
“Ababu Namwamba you should ensure that this does not happen again. Tunapiga steps mbili mbele then kumi nyuma (we make two steps ahead and 10 backwards),” was the plea to Namwamba.
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“No approval of a function at any of the country’s stadia is done without express permission of this man called Pius Metto, he authorised this event at Nyayo National Stadium.”
Others think Kenya has enough grounds to host religious activities and not stadiums.
“Waziri, let not your good work be reversed by activities like crusades in our stadiums. (A) Tent erected in the middle of Nyayo Stadium coz (because) of a crusade is unacceptable. We have many open spaces in Nairobi, including Kamkunji and Jacaranda grounds for crusades.”
Nyayo, Kasarani and Kipchoge Keino Stadiums are what Kenya has set aside for the 2027 AFCON if East Africa will be granted the hosting rights and all three are set for a major facelift.
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Both Nyayo and Kasarani are currently banned from hosting high profile international matches after failing inspection tests conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials and will need a lot of improvements before they can be allowed to host AFCON matches in four years’ time.
Sports Kenya has previously defended itself over similar accusations, saying the body does not receive funding from government hence the need to generate its own revenue.
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