Residents of Kichukwa Village in Lunga Lunga Sub-County, Kwale County, are demanding urgent answers and accountability following the prolonged stalling of a KSh 38 million sports field project. The facility, envisioned as a vital hub for nurturing youth talent and promoting social development, has instead become a symbol of abandonment, corruption, and failed governance.
Initiated in 2019, the project was expected to transform a nine-acre parcel of land donated by the community into a fully functional sports complex. However, construction stalled in 2020 after the contractor abandoned the site, leaving behind minimal work. What remains today is a desolate landscape dotted with debris, an incomplete changing room at foundation level, two goalposts, and a collapsed four-door toilet. The toilet, initially allocated Sh6 million of the project’s budget, caved in after heavy rains, and the changing room is now overrun by weeds and shrubs.
Community members, led by elders and youth leaders, have expressed outrage over what they term as clear misappropriation of public funds. Mr. Athman Ruwa, a respected elder, said residents were informed during the groundbreaking that Sh38 million had been set aside for the project. Six years later, the absence of any tangible progress has left locals feeling betrayed.
Youth leader Rashid Mwajereko questioned whether the government considers Kichukwa part of Kenya, demanding answers and completion of the project. He emphasized the importance of football in shaping young people’s futures by keeping them away from drugs and crime while offering economic opportunities. Mwajereko cited Bandari FC striker Beja Nyamawi, a native of the area who recently earned a call-up to the Harambee Stars, as a testament to the potential of youth in Kichukwa.
Villagers also criticized their elected leaders for failing to follow through on campaign pledges and for ignoring calls for accountability. Juma Zigambwe and Abdalla Mwambega both expressed frustration over the apparent discrepancy between official reports that the project is complete and the grim reality on the ground.
Mwambega broke down the budget allocations Sh32 million for the sports field and Sh6 million for the toilet questioning how such an amount could result in so little. He, along with others, called on the Ministry of Sports and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to intervene, investigate, and ensure the long-overdue completion of the project.
For Kichukwa’s residents, the stalled sports field is more than just an incomplete project it represents a broken promise. The community’s call is clear: transparency, accountability, and action are needed to restore faith in public service and unlock the region’s youth potential.
