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Mosiria jokes on Talanta Stadium opening: Let Shabana face Arsenal
07th February, 2026 03:05 PM
Nairobi County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service, Geoffrey Mosiria, has joked about how Talanta Stadium should be opened.
He made the remarks while addressing President William Ruto during his on-site visit to the new stadium on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
“Mr President, nakupigia saluti kumi,” Mosiria said before laying out his playful proposal.
“Na wakifungua (Talanta Stadium) Shabana wacheze na Arsenali,” he added, setting the tone for his remarks about the high-profile venue.
Mosiria went on to suggest more eye-catching fixtures for the opening.
“Hapo Man U wachaze na Gor, halafu FC Leopards wacheze na Uganda kwa sababu…ama vipi?” he said, drawing attention to the mix of local and international teams in his joke.
He also addressed those who had questioned the stadium project.
“Wale hawaamini kama Thomas, nataka kuwaambia, President Ruto ile video alitusetia ni ukweli, nime confirm,” Mosiria said, insisting the development was real and visible.
Ruto inspects Talanta Stadium
Mosiria’s comments came as President William Ruto also inspected construction works at the Talanta Stadium in Nairobi. The stadium is a 60,000-capacity venue earmarked for the 2027 TotaEnergies Africa Cup of Nations showpiece.
During the inspection tour on Saturday morning, February 7, 2026, Ruto appeared to brush off critics who had expressed doubt about the project. He said the progress on the ground spoke for itself.
“Wangwana, mambo? They were busy treating doubts, and we trusted the process,” Ruto said as he toured the site.
“Now look, see for yourselves, Talanta Stadium is right here.”
Ruto assured the country that the finished facility would impress.
“Hii ni noma sana, mtapenda,” he said, pointing to the scale and pace of construction at the venue.
The Talanta Stadium is set to be renamed the Raila Odinga International Stadium upon completion later this year. Ruto’s visit followed Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya’s directing the adoption of a quasi-private management model. The move is part of efforts to develop a framework to guide the management of stadiums across the country as Kenya prepares for major tournaments.
