Preparations for this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations have entered a critical stage, with the government stepping up infrastructure works and public activities across Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu ahead of the national event.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Friday, August 21, 2026, inspected key projects in Elgeyo-Marakwet as part of a tour of the three counties to assess their readiness to jointly host the celebrations.
Murkomen began the inspection at Kamariny Stadium in Keiyo North Sub-County, where he said construction works were more than halfway complete. The facility is expected to host sporting activities as part of events leading up to Mashujaa Day.
“Preparations for this year’s historic Mashujaa Day celebrations that will be co-hosted by Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties are in top gear,” Murkomen said.
The Interior CS said the preparations were not limited to the main celebration venue, with roads, electricity, water and other infrastructure projects being carried out across the three counties.
He said sports competitions will also be held in Tot, Kerio Valley Sub-County, as part of activities celebrating the return of peace in the Kerio Valley region.
Nandi County will host a national youth summit, while a sports conference, cultural competitions and other events will take place in the period leading up to the national celebrations.
In Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet, the government is also putting up a new county headquarters alongside improvements to roads, water and electricity infrastructure.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen in Kapsabet, Nandi, assessing the state of preparedness for the 2026 Mashujaa Day Celebrations on August 21, 2026.
PHOTO/MINA
Three counties to host Mashujaa Day
The decision to have Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu jointly host the 2026 Mashujaa Day celebrations is a break from the usual arrangement in which the national event is largely held in one county.
The three counties have been brought together to showcase the wider North Rift region, with the celebrations expected to highlight its cultural diversity, sporting talent, economic potential and development projects.
The hosting plan has also provided an opportunity to speed up infrastructure works, particularly in roads, water, energy and sports facilities, before the October celebrations.
The programme has been spread across the three counties, with Elgeyo-Marakwet taking a leading role in infrastructure and sporting preparations. Nandi will host the national youth summit, while Uasin Gishu will be part of the wider programme of activities planned ahead of the celebrations.
The joint hosting is expected to draw government officials, political leaders, athletes, cultural groups and thousands of visitors to the North Rift.
With preparations now underway across the three counties, the region is set to take centre stage as the country prepares to mark Mashujaa Day in October.