Nairobi, Dec 12 (IANS)

Kenya will build five sports stadia across the country to bolster the chances of winning bids to host international sporting events.

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Hassan Wario, pledged Wednesday that alongside the constructions, all the dilapidated arenas will undergo rehabilitation to bring them to acceptable standards, Xinhua reported.

"Most development of sports in the country has been hindered by sub-standard facilities," Wario said during the 2013 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) held in Nairobi.

"Building of the new arenas will increase Kenya's sporting prowess in a world where sports is big business and governments worldwide invest hugely in ensuring the best facilities."

Among the items Kenya has on the cards is to bid to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and in the same year the World Athletics Championships.