Vihiga Residents Welcome Construction of 10,000-Seat Kidundu Stadium

Residents of Vihiga County and the wider Western region are set to benefit from a major sports infrastructure boost following the groundbreaking of the 10,000-capacity Kidundu Stadium by President William Ruto.

The Sh900 million project is expected to transform both sporting activities and local economic development, with residents expressing strong support for the initiative—some even voluntarily giving up land to pave the way for construction.

According to Duncan Vulimu, chairman of the families affected by the project, 23 households contributed land toward the stadium’s expansion. He confirmed that four families have already been fully compensated, acquired alternative land, and successfully relocated.

“Two families have not yet been compensated but have already moved, while 17 others are still awaiting compensation before they can vacate,” Vulimu said in an interview, urging the government to fast-track the compensation process to avoid delays in construction.

He noted that the project initially occupied three acres of land donated by local residents, but an additional 20 acres have since been provided to accommodate a modern, international-standard stadium with comprehensive facilities.

Vulimu described the development as the realization of a long-standing community dream, revealing that his grandfather was among those who first donated land for the project as far back as 1986.

Once complete, Kidundu Stadium is expected to serve as a home ground for local football teams such as Vihiga Queens, Vihiga Bullets, and Vihiga United. This will significantly reduce the need for teams to travel to Kisumu for matches, cutting operational costs and improving convenience.

Residents and stakeholders say the project is also poised to create job opportunities, particularly for casual laborers during the construction phase. In addition, local businesses are expected to benefit from increased economic activity driven by the influx of workers and future sporting events.

During his visit, President Ruto also presided over several other development initiatives in the county. He handed over 220 housing units under Phase One of the Affordable Housing Programme and commissioned the construction of an additional 1,000 units under Phase Two.

The President further laid the foundation stone for the Mbale Modern Market, a project currently at 4.1 percent completion, aimed at improving trading conditions for local traders.

Leaders in the region have hailed the developments as transformative, noting that the combination of sports infrastructure, housing, and market facilities will significantly boost livelihoods and enhance the socio-economic landscape of Vihiga County.

Construction of the Kidundu Stadium is expected to proceed in phases, with the government under pressure to ensure timely compensation and relocation of all affected families to keep the project on schedule.