Taita Taveta Assembly Weighs Land Swap to Save Voi Stadium
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The Taita Taveta County Assembly is considering a land swap that would hand QWETU SACCO alternative land at Vindo Showground so that the 10-acre Kingstone Stadium site in Voi can be secured for public sporting use.
The Taita Taveta County Assembly is considering a land swap to resolve historical injustices surrounding Kingstone Stadium in Voi, following a petition by football club members and residents seeking to safeguard the 10-acre facility for public use. The proposal would see QWETU SACCO receive alternative land at Vindo Showground in exchange for surrendering the disputed stadium parcel, paving the way for the county government to secure it for sporting and recreational activities.
A report by the Assembly's Sectoral Committee on Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development recommends the land swap as a possible way to settle the dispute while protecting the interests of both the SACCO and the public. The report was presented to the House by committee chairperson Ann Wambui Mukuru, a nominated MCA, who moved a motion seeking its adoption.
If the recommendations are approved and implemented, the county government would be required to amend the Voi development plan to designate the land as a public sports and recreational facility, and to formalise the transfer of the property to the county. The petition by Kingstone Football Club members and Sofia residents brought the history of the club and the stadium, as well as grievances described as historical injustices, before the Assembly, though the report does not detail the nature of those injustices or how the land came to be disputed.
During debate on the motion, MCA Lawrence Mzugha backed the proposal to provide QWETU SACCO with alternative land, saying Vindo Showground could offer a practical solution to the longstanding disagreement. Daniel Kimuyu also supported the proposed settlement, describing it as a compromise that could allow the parties to resolve their differences while keeping the stadium available for public use, and said sporting facilities help steer young people away from drug abuse.
The committee has further recommended measures to protect small-scale traders operating around the stadium while preserving the playing field. The proposed settlement seeks to balance the SACCO's interests with residents' demands for the protection of a public sporting facility, but the land swap and other recommendations remain subject to the Assembly's decision and subsequent implementation.