Moi International Sports Centre
 | |
| Full name | Moi International Sports Centre |
|---|---|
| Location | Kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya |
| Coordinates | 1°13′41″S 36°53′26″E / 1.22806°S 36.89056°E |
| Owner | Sports Stadia Management Board |
| Operator | Sports Stadia Management Board |
| Capacity | Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani: 60,000[1](Kasarani Stadium) 5,000 (Kasarani Indoor Arena) 5,000 (Competition pool) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1987 |
| Opened | August 1987 |
| Renovated | January 2010 |
| Construction cost | Ksh. 900 million (renovations) |
| Structural engineer | Sheng-Li Engineering Construction Company Ltd. (renovations) |
| Services engineer | Sheng-Li Engineering Construction Company Ltd. (renovations) |
| Main contractors | n/a |
| Tenants | |
| Kenya national football team Mathare United Tusker | |
The Moi International Sports Centre (abbreviated as M.I.S.C.) is a multi-purpose stadium in Kasarani, Kenya. It was built in 1987 for the All-Africa Games held in Nairobi. The facilities include a 60,000 seat arena with a running track and a pitch used for football and rugby union, a competition size swimming pool, an indoor arena and a 108 bed capacity hotel.[2]
The stadium was closed in January 2010 for renovation works worth Kes 900 million and funded by a grant to the Government of Kenya by the Government of China. Chinese firm, Sheng Li Engineering Construction Company Limited was contracted to conduct the renovations and the stadium was reopened in March 2012 after completion of the renovations.
In April and May 2014, after terror attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa, the main stadium was used as a screening center as part of 'Operation Usalama Watch' during which thousands of people were indiscriminately rounded up and arrested by the Kenyan Police, and were subjected to harassment, extortion and ill-treatment. Suspected illegal Somali immigrants were detained in the stadium under poor conditions with lack of access to food and legal assistance. For this purpose the stadium was officially designated on 17 April 2014 as a police station and detention centre.[3][4]
The stadium located within the Sports Centre will host the 2017 World U18 Championships in Athletics.[5]
Facilities
Kasarani Stadium
The main arena is used by the Kenya national football team for most of its home games, as well as Kenyan Premier League sides Mathare United and Tusker F.C..
Since 2013 the Safari Sevens rugby union tournament has been hosted at the Kasarani Stadium.
For sponsorship reasons, since December 2013 the stadium has also been known as Safaricom Stadium Kasarani.[6]
Kasarani Indoor Arena
The indoor arena seats 5,000 and hosts volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, badminton, boxing, wrestling, martial arts and table tennis.
For sponsorship reasons, the arena is also known as Safaricom Indoor Arena.
Kasarani Aquatic Complex
This arena consists of an Olympic competition pool, a warm up/training pool 1.25 metres in depth, a recreational public diving pool and a children's pool.
The Stadion Hotel
This is a 108-room hotel located within the centre.
References
- ^ http://www.ghettoradio.co.ke/kenyas-new-president-to-be-sworn-in-at-kasarani/
- ^ "Moi International Sports Complex (MISC), Kasarani". www.sportskenya.org. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ Somalis are scapegoats in Kenya's Counter-terror Crackdown, Amnesty International, May 2014. Accessed on 27 February 2017.
- ^ Usalama Watch: State is fracturing Kenyan society, The East African, 19 April 2014. Accessed on 27 February 2017.
- ^ Competitions Update. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-06-07.
- ^ Akaki, Lulu. "Safaricom Stadium Kasarani unveiled". hapakenya.com. HapaKenya. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
External links
- Sports Stadia Management Board - a body governing several stadiums in Kenya
- Photo at worldstadiums.com
- Photo at fussballtempel.net
- Nation.co.ke - Sh1bn facelift for Kasarani
- Stadium images
- Sports venues completed in 1987
- Football venues in Kenya
- Sports venues in Kenya
- Sport in Nairobi
- Athletics (track and field) venues in Kenya
- Stadiums of the African Games
- National stadiums
- Indoor arenas in Kenya
- Multi-purpose stadiums in Kenya
- Event venues established in 1987
- Volleyball venues in Kenya
- Basketball venues in Kenya
- Chinese foreign aid
- 1980s in Nairobi