Preparations are on top gear ahead of tomorrow’s Mashujaa Day celebrations with the County Government of Kisii led by Governor James Ongwae saying they are ready to host the National Celebrations.
The 57th Mashujaa Day celebrations will be hosted at Gusii Stadium in Kisii County.
This year’s event will be one of its kind, only open for the invited guests in line with strict coronavirus measures.
The national government in partnership with the county gave Kisii town a major upgrade ahead of the fete.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are expected to be at the stadium with security being beefed up inside and outside the stadium.
Kisii County was given an opportunity to host the National celebration after a presidential directive issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2015 that two out of Kenya’s three National Days be hosted on a rotational basis by counties outside Nairobi to boost national cohesion and intergration.
Although the Gusii stadium has a sitting capacity of 25,000, only 3500 people will be granted entry to ensure strict adherence to the Ministry of Helath physical distancing guidelines under prevailing circumstances.
Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho however says screens have been mounted at different locations within the town, including outside the stadium, Kisii Golf Club, Kisii Primary School, and other locations from where Kenyans who will not be able to stream to the stadium can follow the celebrations on big screens.
Nyanza Regional Commander Magu Mutindika, on his part,announced several drop-off zones/parking areas have been designated to facilitate free flow of traffic in/out of Kisii Town ahead of tomorrow’s Mashujaa Day celebrations. They include Kisumu-Oyugis-Kisii road at Nyabera and Daraja Mbili Primary school), Nairobi-Keroka-Kisii at Kereri Girls, and Migori-Kisii road at Nyanchwa Primary school and SDA college.
This year’s Mashujaa Day will celebrate Kenyans who have made a difference in various fields including health, security, education, Agriculture, Business among others.
The opportunity comes with a fair share of economic benefits in terms of infrastructure. Some of the multimillion-shilling projects undertaken in the county include; the construction of a State Lodge, tarmacking of 20km of road, and increasing Gusii Stadium capacity to 10,000. Kenya Power also installed 568 street lights at a cost of Sh58 million.