Mombasa is set to get an international FIFA standard stadium that will be constructed by the national government.

This was revealed by the Cabinet Secretary for sports Ababu Namwamba who said that Mombasa and the entire coast region is a hot-bed for talents especially football, and as such deserves an international stadium.

He was speaking in Mombasa as he presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of renovation works worth Sh300 million for KPA Mbaraki Stadium that plays host to Bandari Football Club representing the region in the national top-tier league, the Kenya Premier League (KPL).

The team is being sponsored by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

“Mombasa and the coast region remains a hotbed of talents. The region produced the best goalkeeper Mohammed Abbas who up to date retains the ‘Kenya 1’ title,”

"We recognize the region as a source of talents for football and other fields of sports,” said Namwamba.

The government he said has put aside Sh250 million for the works expected to be completed in six months’ time.

The stadium sits on a three acre parcel of land within Mombasa town, less than a kilometer away from the Likoni Ferry channel leading to the port of Mombasa.

The work he said will be done in three phases with phase one entailing the installation of a racing track.

Phase two will entail working on the pitch and phase three and four will involve working on the terraces and setting up of a pavilion respectively.

“Through good plans that we have in place, we will make this is a success. I want to assure KPA that we shall combine resources and work together” he said.

He lauded KPA for the good work it has been doing in nurturing sports in the region owing to the success that the authority’s football, basketball and volleyball teams for men, women and the youth have heard in recent past both in local and continental showpieces.

The CS further said that plans were also in place to look in to the completion of renovation works for the Mombasa Municipal Stadium that has stalled for the last 11 years since works begun.

The stadium has been out of use since then with renovation works to uplift it to FIFA standards expected to be over Sh1.2 billion.

He added that the government was also planning to set up stadiums in each of the six coastal counties.

"We want to improves fields and sports as a whole across all the counties in Kenya. Through the Talanta Hela project, we want to see money trickling into the pockets of our sportsmen and women and we want to see the benefits of this trickling down to all counties,” Namwamba said.

KPA General Manager Operations Dr. Sudi Mwasinago who was representing the KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto said that sports organization within the region need to come together to support the initiative.

He said that by coming together, they will be able to create a vibrant sports ecosystem that natures talents, promotes healthy competition and instills a sense of national pride.

"The upgrading of KPA Mbaraki Stadium is a testament to our collective dedication to excellence and I believe in the power of sports to unite us and inspire future generations,” said Mwasinago.