President William Ruto has bowed to sustained public pressure and agreed to rename the under-construction 60000 seat Talanta Stadium in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The announcement came on a charged Jamhuri Day at Nyayo National Stadium, where calls for the change reached their loudest point yet.
The push for the renaming gathered fresh momentum during the sixty second Jamhuri Day celebrations on Friday, December 12, as thousands of Kenyans openly voiced their support. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja used his address to urge the Head of State to honour the wishes of Nairobi residents, who want the new arena to bear Raila Odinga’s name. His sentiments were met with resounding approval from the crowd.
Sakaja reminded the audience that major national events will shift to Talanta Stadium starting next year. He emphasised that many Nairobians believe the arena should be renamed Raila Amolo Odinga International Stadium. Each mention of Odinga’s name drew more cheers from the stadium.
Seeking confirmation from the crowd, Sakaja asked Nairobi residents if they supported the move. The applause and chants that followed emboldened him to repeat his plea directly to the President, who sat smiling as the moment unfolded.
He told the gathering that he was speaking on behalf of Nairobians who felt that honouring Raila Odinga was both timely and deserved. His words triggered chants of the familiar phrase that has recently dominated public forums: the voice of the people is the voice of God.
When President Ruto stepped up to speak, many expected him to sidestep the matter. Instead, he invited the crowd to stand for a moment of silence in honour of the late Prime Minister before addressing the renaming directly. He asked the audience what the new name should be, prompting a thunderous response of Raila Amolo Odinga. He then confirmed that once the stadium is completed, it will carry that name.
The President also provided an update on ongoing modernisation plans for sports facilities. He revealed that Nyayo Stadium will receive a canopy similar to the one at Kasarani beginning January next year. The Talanta Stadium complex, set for completion in March, will feature three additional training pitches, including a 2000 capacity mini stadium.
Because the main arena will not include an athletics track, an eight lane running track is being integrated into the mini facility to ensure track events and other disciplines also benefit from the multi billion shilling project.
