‘Misplaced Priorities’ Bien Demands Accountability Over Inflated Talanta Stadium Cost

Celebrated Kenyan artist Bien-Aime Baraza has raised serious concerns over the ballooning cost of the newly renamed Raila Odinga International Stadium (formerly Talanta Stadium), questioning the priorities of the government amid unpaid footballers and neglected athletes.

Speaking during a public appearance on November 2, Bien did not oppose the construction of the stadium itself, but instead took issue with the inflated price at which it was delivered, which has risen from an initial estimate of KSh 35 billion to KSh 45.8 billion.

He argued that the problem is not the asset but the cost and the disconnect between government spending and the needs of Kenya’s sports elite. “The problem is not the asset itself. The problem is the inflated price at which it was made. That money could have been used differently. I feel like people are not really hating a stadium being built. People are hating that you’re building this grandiosity of a monumental thing for yourself to be remembered, while the sports ministry isn’t taking care of Kenya’s sports elite. So it’s a misplaced priority thing.”

He stated that Kenyans are not opposed to development, but want to see athletes supported first. “It’s not that we don’t want Talanta Stadium, but we want our footballers to be paid their allowances. We want our football league here to work. There’s a skater who’s meant to go for a global competition that he always wins when he goes, but he didn’t get support. So how do we keep on misappropriating our funds and spending billions bringing Bayern Munich here? I feel like there’s a disconnect.“

Bien questioned the long-term value of the project, noting that the stadium will ultimately serve Kenyans regardless of who is in office, but at a significant cost.

“It’s not that we don’t want a stadium, because once Ruto is out of office, that stadium is yet to be used by Kenyans. We’ll do concerts there. We’ll do things there, but at what cost?“

The artist called for a thorough investigation into the procurement process and the bill of quantities, demanding that those responsible be held accountable. “We take the people who have wronged us to jail. Whoever did the procurement and the bill of quantities for that, and all the people. The Senate must sit down with the finance committee and put these guys to task. The auditors to say, okay, this was meant to cost us a third of what it ended up costing us in the end. Okay, so where’s this money gone to? And where’s the accountability on that money?“

The stadium is set to host German giants Bayern Munich for its official opening in January 2027, a visit that Bien suggests has been prioritised over the welfare of local athletes and the development of grassroots sports.