The county government of Machakos has been asked to protect Mavoko stadium from land grabbers.
Speaking in his office on Friday, Mavoko Deputy County Commissioner Makori Kodeck, said the county government needs to protect the utility because stadiums are among devolved functions.
"The county government needs to protect the Mavoko stadium from land grabbers who are allegedly selling it out to unsuspecting buyers since its a devolved function," said Kodeck.
Kodeck said the stadium which had been renovated in the year 2013 by the then Ministry of Youth and Sports had been vandalised by hooligans who cut its fence and gates and sold them out to scrape metal dealers within Athi River Town.
The deputy commissioner said even though his office was well informed that certain individuals some of who were leaders in the defiant Mavoko Municipal Council were dividing parts of the stadium and selling it out, he could not intervene if the county government was adamant about it.
"It is unfortunate that the fence and gate of the stadium had been vandalised and sold out by goons to scrape metal dealers within the town and now some known individuals are busy dividing the same public utility and selling it out," said Kodeck.
Kodeck however warned the culprits stating that his office will intervene if the county government does not stop the land grabbers since he uses the ground for public functions and events.
"I will not sit back and watch the culprits grab the land meant for public utility. In fact, I stopped using Kenya Meat Commission's open grounds for public functions because it is a private property and opted to use Mavoko Stadium to keep the grabbers and encroachers away," said Kodeck.