This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
Located in Kiambu County, Kirigiti Stadium is one of the oldest sporting facilities in the region. The name 'Kirigiti' is derived from the Kikuyu language, meaning 'cricket', a nod to the stadium's history of hosting cricket matches during the colonial and post-colonial era.
On August 25, 2019, Nation Media Group photographer Chris Omollo captured the stadium's current state, with goats grazing freely on the overgrown field and Administration Police houses and an open garage situated inside the football pitch.
Despite being home to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Division Two team Kirigiti FC, County League teams Kiambu Red Eagles, Kirigiti Queens, and Kirigiti Wazee FC, the stadium has been banned from hosting league matches due to its bumpy and irregular playing surface.
‘We train here but we can’t host our matches here since FKF has banned the pitch due to the bumpy and irregular playing surface,' said Kirigiti FC goalkeeper Amos Mandela. ‘The other option for us would have been Ruiru Stadium which has an artificial turf but they charge a fee for using it and we are a team of local lads struggling to make ends meet so we can’t afford it.'
However, Kiambu County Executive in charge of Sports, Karungu wa Thang’wa, has announced plans to upgrade the stadium to a world-class facility through partnerships with the central government and private organisations.
‘Kirigiti Stadium is strategically located just some 15 kilometres from Nairobi and it can be used for sporting and recreational activities by both counties,' Karungu said. ‘That is the plan we have but the biggest challenge is lack of adequate funds. However, our proposal as Sports and Youth Affairs department in Kiambu County seeking external funding has been approved.'
The stadium's future remains uncertain, with many questioning the feasibility of the proposed upgrade. As one youth from Kiambu lamented, ‘Since the era of president of Kenya Jomo Kenyatta, we have been promised that the stadium would be refurbished. It’s time leaders stopped empty rhetorics and did something.'
