It’s 7 am and the track at the Keringet high altitude training facility in Ndabibit, Kuresoi South sub-county is locked and empty.

Surrounded by very few households, minimal signs of vandalism can be noticed along its chain link fence but those seem to be mended almost immediately.

Launched in 2021 with a budget allocation of Sh. 1.2 billion, though other reports cite an allocation of Sh. 800 million, what currently stands is an incomplete track, meters away from an unfinished gate, two 40-capacity dormitories, a kitchen and dining area, and an abolition block after phase two.

The two 40-capacity dormitories and a dining hall that separates the two at the Keringet high altitude training centre. Photo taken on March 4, 2025.

Photo credit: LELETI JASSOR/MTAA WANGU

These tracks according to residents were supposed to be completed during the first phase of the project when it was allocated a whooping Sh. 124 million in 22/23, yet in 2025 the ultra-modern high-altitude training centre remains incomplete.

According to reports, phase one of the ultra-modern facility was expected to include the construction of running tracks, a field event athletics pitch, a frontage fence, a gatehouse, a generator house, a chain link fence for the entire academy and toilets.

A budget 23/24 –25/26 report notes that an additional Sh. 20.8million was allocated but it was not specific to what exactly.

Victor Mutai, a relay champion, says he avoids the stadium due to the risk of injury because of the murram.

Athletes training on the track at Keringet training centre despite the murram. Photo taken on March 4, 2025.

Photo credit: LELETI JASSOR/MTAA WANGU

“We do not have a training ground here in Keringet and usually train by the roadside. When we use the track with spiked shoes on, it hurts our feet and even risks deadlier injuries. When it rains, the tracks fill with water, which impedes our training. We always go to Nakuru’s RVIST or Nakuru Teacher Training College to use their tracks for speed work.

Mutai, whose training day starts at 5 a.m. and ends at 7 a.m. started running in 2018 and even represented the country in Tunisia for the Africa cross-country relay race category and brought a gold medal back home.

Now, he runs the 1,500m and 10,000m races eyeing the world championship and hopes that the sooner the stadium is complete, the sooner they’ll cut their trips to Nakuru and train with other upcoming athletes.

At 10 a.m., Kenneth Ng’etich and other runners, who do not have coaches, come to train and learn from each other.

Athletes stretch before they begin training at the Keringet training stadium. Photo taken on March 4, 2025.

Photo credit: LELETI JASSOR/MTAA WANGU

This is a few hours after other athletes finished their 7 a.m. run which they did by the roadside despite imminent dangers of poor visibility or even being hit by a vehicle.

He says he is forced to use the stadium in its current state, despite the many unfulfilled promises from the county government to complete it.

Like his colleague, rainy seasons pose a challenge to him and he’s forced to join other athletes on the road only because he cannot afford triple trips to the city for training.

“We don’t have hope for this stadium ever being finished because we are not seeing any work going on. We are asking the governor to complete this stadium before the next elections,” says the 3,000-meter flat racer.

Residents also note the last time a contractor was seen on site was in June 2024 after finalizing the second phase of the stadium which is the dormitories, ablution block, and dining. This is despite the incompletion of pledges from phase one.

Entrance of the Keringet high altitude training centre. Phot taken on March 4, 2025.

Photo credit: LELETI JASSOR/MTAA WANGU

Willy Lang’at, an athletes coach in the area says conversations about securing land for the stadium started way back in 2016 by the first administration, on the onset of devolution.

The next administration fast-tracked the process and promised to finish it by 2021.

In 2025, Lang’at says the drainage is half done, the tracks incomplete yet in the coming months athletes are preparing for a competition in Tokyo in September with trials in August.

“We want to on board more athletes to these international competitions yet so many miss out on this opportunity due to lack of proper infrastructure. It would have been better if the stadium was complete because it would help us bring in more youth into the Kenyan team,” says the expert coach adding that many times, for athletes to train in Nakuru town, twice or thrice a week, is an out of pocket expense that locks out up and coming athletes with talent.

Lang’at says the government needs to first finalize the track before the dorms because even if the facility hosts athletes, it’ll be as good as useless if the track is not complete.

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Leleti Jassor