Bien Says Talanta Stadium Cost Is Too High, Government Has Forgotten Local Athletes

Kenyan singer Bien-Aimé Baraza has called out the government over the cost of Talanta Stadium.

Speaking on the Obinna Show on Monday, November 2, 2026, Bien said he is not against building the stadium. The problem is the price.

The stadium was first budgeted at Ksh 35 billion. Now the cost has gone up to Ksh 45.8 billion. The extra is about Ksh 10.85 billion. Bien says that money could have been used better.

The stadium is a 60,000-seater at Jamhuri, Nairobi. It was formerly called Talanta Stadium and is now renamed Raila Odinga International Stadium. It will host Bayern Munich vs Ajax on January 5, 2027 for its opening.Bien said: “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.”

He said Kenyans are not hating the stadium. They are angry because the government is building a big monument to be remembered, while the Sports Ministry is not taking care of Kenya’s best athletes.

He said footballers are not being paid their allowances. The local league is struggling. He gave an example of a Kenyan skater who always wins in global competitions but did not get support to travel.He asked: “How do we keep misappropriating our funds and spending billions bringing Bayern here, while our own sportsmen and women are struggling? There is a disconnect.”

Bien said once President Ruto leaves office, the stadium will still be there for Kenyans to use for concerts and games, but he asks — at what cost?

He wants accountability. He wants the Senate, finance committee and auditors to check who did the procurement and bill of quantities, and where the extra money went.

Sports PS Elijah Mwangi on October 31 said the Bayern match will not use public money. He said sponsors will pay for it.https://www.facebook.com/100044260518058/posts/1752991849519482/?app=fbl

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