Nairobi’s refurbished Kasarani stadium

The 60,000-seat stadium in the Moi International Sports Centre in the Kasarani suburbs of east Nairobi has been inaugurated after just over two years of upgrading works.

The $12.5 million refurbishment contract for the stadium was awarded to China's Sheng Li Engineering Construction Company and funded by the Chinese government. As part of the renovation works, the running track was replaced and the stands, gymnasium and dormitories were upgraded.

Built by China in 1987 to host the fourth All Africa Games, in recent years Kenya's premier sports stadium had suffered from neglect, vandalism and lack of funding.

Chinese ambassador to Kenya Liu Guangyuan confirmed that China will also build an international sports academy, a golf course and a motor cross track at the sports centre – in subsequent phases of upgrading the 40-hectare site – and that China would continue to work with local officials in maintaining the facility in the future.

The latest international competition that the multi-purpose Moi International Sports complex hosted was the Africa Swimming Championships in September this year, which brought together 12 African nations, while in 2009 it hosted the MTV Africa music awards.