Dandora Stadium risks experiencing a slow and painful death like City Stadium and Camp Toyoyo due to the huge number of matches currently being hosted at the facility.
Dandora Stadium in Nairobi’s Eastlands has become a key facility in Kenyan football in recent months with lots of matches played at the venue.
It is not even a year yet since the stadium was officially opened but it has hosted a number of matches from lower divisions to the top flight FKF Premier League.
Dandora Stadium was officially opened by Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja in March 2024 after a six-year wait that saw its construction stall for some time over legal issues during former governor Mike Sonko’s reign.
Kenya is preparing a number of stadiums to be used for the CHAN 2024 and 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and it will be a costly affair for the country.
The 4,000-seater stadium has a perimeter wall and football pitch, equipped with an artificial turf, as well as dressing and utility rooms constructed to international standards.
Since its opening, Dandora Stadium has been busy every week, hosting not less than four matches at times on a weekend, raising questions over whether it is being overused.
The facility has become a favourite for many Nairobi-based teams as it is easily accessible and helps them cut costs of taking home matches out of the city and the situation is also not helped by the fact that Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums are currently not available for use as they undergo a facelift ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championships.
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Camp Toyoyo grounds in Nairobi’s Jericho estate is now a shell of its former self and concerned fans and players are up in arms over its neglect.
That has left Dandora, Ulinzi Complex and Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos as the only available venues within the city and its outskirts.
However, the Kenya Defence Forces has shied away from offering Ulinzi Complex to most teams after the vandalism and destruction of property witnessed at the stadium in past months, leaving Dandora to shoulder the responsibility.
However, there are fears that the stadium could go the same way as City Stadium and Camp Toyoyo grounds.
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Sports Kenya has revealed when both Harambee Stars and FKFPL clubs will be allowed to use Nyayo and Kasarani Stadia once renovations are completed before commencement of CHAN 2024 in August.
Just like Dandora, those two venues had an artificial turf and became a favourite for most teams, acting either as a training ground or match venue for sides across all divisions.
But years of overuse and neglect left the Astroturf in a sorry state and up to now, they have never recovered.
Both Camp Toyoyo and City Stadium belong to the Nairobi County government and after what has been witnessed, there are reasons to be concerned for Dandora Stadium, which could join the list of overused and neglected facilities a few years down the line.
