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Rwanda’s Amahoro, Uganda’s Hoima stadiums outshine Talanta as Kenya installs inferior seats
03rd February, 2026 11:09 AM
Kenya’s ambitious Talanta Sports City, recently renamed the Raila Odinga International Stadium, has been plunged into controversy after images emerged of ‘budget’ seating being installed at the Ksh44.7 billion facility.
While the government promised a ‘jewel of Africa’ to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), football fans have been left fuming over the choice of fixed, non-foldable plastic bucket seats.
The move has been labelled a cost-cutting disaster that leaves Kenya trailing far behind its East African neighbours.
Just across the border, Rwanda’s Amahoro Stadium and Uganda’s newly commissioned Hoima City Stadium have set a gold standard, boasting sleek, foldable seating that maximises spectator comfort and modern aesthetics.
A tale of two standards
The contrast could not be more glaring.
In Kigali, the $165 million renovation of the Amahoro Stadium has resulted in a 45,000-seater masterpiece featuring premium foldable seats that disappear when not in use, creating wide, clean aisles.
Similarly, Uganda’s Ksh16.8 billion Hoima City Stadium, completed in record time by Turkish firm Summa, has been hailed for its world-class finish.
Fans in Hoima will enjoy the luxury of tip-up seating, a feature standard in elite European arenas but apparently ‘too expensive’ for Nairobi.
‘Cheap and Inferior’
Kenyans took to social media to voice their disappointment as the first batch of bright yellow and green plastic seats were bolted directly onto the concrete terraces at the Ngong Road site.
Critics argue that fixed bucket seats are prone to faster wear and tear, collect more dirt, and significantly reduce the legroom available to fans.
“We were promised a state-of-the-art facility, but we are getting 1990s technology,” one frustrated fan wrote on X.
“How can Rwanda and Uganda afford foldable seats while we install the same plastic chairs found in a local primary school?”
However, experts point out that foldable seats are now the FIFA requirement for top-tier hospitality and comfort
As construction at the Raila Odinga International Stadium hits the 85% mark, the ‘seating scandal’ has become a symbol of the growing anxiety over whether Kenya will truly be ready to match the infrastructure of its neighbours by 2027.
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Martin Oduor
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