Calls for modern Stadium in Mombasa dominate Sisi ni DOLA Cup launch

Rajab Babu, former coach of the Kenya national beach soccer team and current Chair of Mombasa Sports Club, has criticized the long delay in completing the renovation of the Mombasa Municipal Stadium, calling it a national embarrassment.

“Why is it taking too long? As the second biggest city, we lack a major stadium—it's really bad,” Babu lamented.

Babu, who previously served as the CEO of Sports in Mombasa County, expressed frustration over the stagnation of sporting infrastructure in the region. He said he initiated the renovation of the Mombasa Municipal Stadium years ago, and although some work has resumed, the pace remains disappointing.

“I’m happy they’ve finally restarted the work after so many years. But we want it completed. The national government must come out and build a stadium in the Coast region. We used to contribute half of the national team players back then—now, we’re falling behind,” he emphasized . “Our youths are crying that there are no jobs—football is a job.”

His sentiments were echoed by Alamin Ahmed Abdalla, Chairperson of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Mombasa branch, who urged the government to rethink its strategy on youth engagement and crime prevention.

“I call upon all stakeholders to come on board and protect our youth from destructive lifestyles like Dola is doing. The government is spending billions on security—it should instead invest millions in sports. Young people respect coaches even more than their parents,” said Alamin.

He believes sports can be a powerful tool to counter youth unemployment, drug abuse, and insecurity—issues that plague many coastal communities.

This renewed push for better infrastructure comes as the SISI NI DOLA Cup kicks off, featuring 20 teams from Mombasa, Kwale, and Kilifi. The tournament will run for a month, with the winning team set to receive a KSh 500,000 cash prize.

Hassan Ibrahim Kipapa, Director of Sports at DOLA Group, emphasized that the tournament is more than just a competition—it's a platform to unearth and nurture grassroots talent.

“As leaders, we must identify and nurture talent. But we must also teach young players the importance of balancing talent with education,” Kipapa stated.

“We’re doing things differently this time, and I’m confident many of our players will get scouted by top clubs after the tournament.”

The tournament opened with a dramatic clash between Congo Boyz and Nyundo FC at the Mombasa Sports Club grounds. 

Nyundo took an early lead through Rodgers “Okuse” Okumu in the first half, but Congo Boyz mounted a spirited comeback in the second, with Shawn Paul and Kassim Beuchi finding the net to seal a 2-1 win.