Destination Kasarani Sports Complex, Nairobi

The ultra-modern Moi International Sports Stadium in Nairobi has been renowned more for the politics in there rather than the sports activities.

The multi-billions Kenya shillings 60,000-seater facility is also known as Kasarani Stadium, was built in 1987 by the Chinese government during the reign of Daniel arap Moi, the second President (1985-2002). In addition to the stadium used for soccer, rugby and athletics events, the complex also has a 5,000-seater indoor arena and an aquatic stadium, called Kasarani Aquatic Stadium, which has two pools, 25m and 50m, plus a diving pool.

One of the most famous sporting events ever held there was the 4th All Africa Games in August 1987 where teams from 42 countries participated. My maiden visit to Kasarani was on the eve of the games when I was assigned by Nation Newspapers Limited News Editor, Mutegi Njau, to cover the colourful opening of the ultra-modern Olympic-standard swimming pool and complex, also built by the Chinese government.

All African Games 1987

I returned later in my own capacity on August 12 and attended the grand closing ceremony of All Africa Games which was graced by President Moi and graced by a Cabinet Minister who represented the Egyptian, Hosni Mubarak, to cheer their respective teams, Harambee Stars and The Pharaohs.

The match was a thriller and kept the fans on their toes throughout the 90 minutes as the state-run national broadcaster; Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) covered it live and aired it around the country and the continent.

I was not a big soccer fan then, but the euphoria, peer pressure and excitement of visiting the facility was too much for me as a cub reporter at Nation Newspapers Limited (the precursor of Nation Media Group).

Harambee Stars did not disappoint as they started the match with steam and gusto in the first half, but apparently relaxed in the second half when the Pharaohs, who were a leading team in the continent, showed them dust. The stadium was filled to capacity with thousands of fans who had paid and others who were forced to sit and/or stand on the walkways after Moi ordered all gates to be opened and the public allowed in free of charge to cheer their national soccer team.

The match was a thriller and ended with The Pharaohs lifting the cup as President Moi and local fans leaked their wounds in disappointment after seeing the referee turn a blind eye to many foul plays, rough tackles as the referee flashed the red and yellow cards in favour of The Pharaohs.

Despite losing to the Egyptian side, Kenya was tops in the medals ranking for the 14 sporting disciplines. It scooped 63 medals; 22 gold, 25 silver and 16 bronze medals.

Gem for musical concerts, sports and political rallies

Kasarani, which is 15 Km. from downtown Nairobi city, has also been popular with local and international gospel and secular musicians and religious organisations holding crusades and prayer meetings.

I was back at Kasarani two decades later, in 2010, to attend a live musical concert by a popular American gospel singer, Kirk Franklin, thanks to my daughter, Terry, who tagged me along. The curtain raiser was by a leading local gospel musician, Jemimah Thion’go of Akisema Atakubariki (If He says He will bless you) fame, who thrilled the thousands of fans who had attended the concert that was co-sponsored by Airtel Kenya Ltd, a mobile phone company.

The lively packed concert had many sideshows for the fans to enjoy; they included a team of roller skaters, cyclists and gymnastics experts doing their thing to different musical beats.

But the most memorable visit was in 1998 when I went to cover political functions at the Kasarani arena by Uhuru Kenyatta, who was the Gatundu South MP; and the recent one was on August 4, 2022, at the Azimio La Umoja Coalition Party’s 2022 final campaign rally in Nairobi.

A month later, on September 13, 2022, I was back at the stadium this time virtually watching live TV coverage of former Deputy President Dr William Ruto, and his running mate, Rigathi Gachagua, raising their hands carrying bibles as they were sworn in as the Fifth President and deputy President, respectively, at a colourful event attended by 30 heads of state and of governments and over 60,000 people.

Uhuru vs Biwott duel

The 1998 function was a Kanu national delegate’s conference which had been called by President Moi, who had doubled as the party’s national chairman, ostensibly to hold much-awaited party elections to fill posts.

There were two main contenders for the chairman’s post, which had by then been the preserve of the sitting Head of State, under the one-party rule. The two were Uhuru, whose father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, was the founder of the nation, and powerful Cabinet Minister, Nicholas Biwott, who was a close aide and confidant of Moi.

The exercise was to kick off at 3pm. but delayed past 5pm. as the party officials and mingled with the delegates from the five provinces (since renamed as regions) as they canvased for their support.

Many futile attempts were made to have the two leaders to compromise and step down for the other in the interest of party unity and future. Uhuru and Biwott, who was nicknamed ‘Total Man,’ stuck to their guns and insisted on using the secret ballot and not mlolongo (queue voting) to pick the winner as had been the practice in the past under Moi.

When the votes were cast and countered, Uhuru emerged the victor at close to midnight and was cheered along by his supporters like William Ruto, as the other posts of National Vice-chairman, Treasurer, Organising Secretary, Women and Youth Leaders were contested bitterly.

NDP-Kanu Merger in 2001

My next visit was supposed to be in 2001 during the Kanu-National Development Party (NDP) merger, but it was nipped in the bud by political goons hired by Assistant Minister Joshua Orwa Ojode, who had accused me of “writing bad things” about their party leader, Raila Odinga, the Langata MP, and his party.

I had been assigned by News Editor Catherine Gicheru, to cover the last NDP parliamentary group and executive committee meeting at their offices in Upper Hill in Nairobi on the eve of the D-Day to merge Kanu and NDP.

But while I was with my colleagues from radio, television and print media houses in the NDP compound where I sat under a tree, suddenly one of the part youths approached me and started threatening me verbally as others joined him and before I knew what was going on, I found myself sky-bound as his colleagues whipped, boxed and kicked me as they frog-matched me to the gate where they ejected me with orders never to look back: “Enda na uende (go and go forever!”

For a moment I was traumatized, dazed and in deep pain before I recovered and started walking away towards the city centre. I then bumped into Energy Minister Raila Odinga’s official car, and I flagged him down.

The minister was seated on the co-driver’s seat and asked me what had happened, and on hearing my frustration, he ordered me to enter and sit back left as the driver drove into the compound as the irate goons watched in shock as I made my triumphant return with their boss.

Raila then ordered them to stand in a queue as an identification parade was conducted where was invited to identify my attackers as the Kilimani police boss, who had arrived with his officers, rounded them up and took them to the station for interrogation.

Meanwhile, I remained behind, granted the radio, TV and newspaper reporters my version of the story which most of them went big with in their subsequent news bulletins.

I later covered a press conference at the venue addressed by Raila where he profusely apologized and condemned the unprovoked attack saying he supported press freedom and would never tolerate anyone harassing members of the Fourth Estate.

The matter ended there, I later filed my story at Nation Centre and passed through Nairobi Hospital for medical checkup. The following day I went to record a statement at Kilimani police station and visited the office of the Government Pathologist where I filled a P3 form.

Six months later, no action had been taken against the goons. When asked by News Editor, Frank Ojiambo, the then General Manager Dr Evans Kidero, was reported to have said: “Wachana na hiyo maneno (leave that matter alone), it touches on Raila who could be our next President!” Since then and despite protest by Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), NMG and other media organisations, the case has not seen the light of day despite my having recorded a statement and lodged a formal complaint.

On the day of the historic NDP-Kanu merger, which I was advised to keep off for my own safety and security, there was drama at Kasarani when the then Vice-President, George Saitoti, was shocked in the eleventh hour during the live coverage to see a list of the new line-up of party officials which excluded him and his comrade Joseph Kamotho, the powerful Kanu Secretary General, Education Minister and Mathioya MP.

Tension was in the air as President Moi announced the new line up as Saitoti and Kamotho stared in shock as the post of Secretary-General was handed over to Raila, and a revolving seat was created for the party Vice-President.

Saitoti and Kamotho shown the door

In his hour of total anger and dejection, Prof Saitoti who was the Kajiado North MP, stood from his seat near the President and went to the microphone as all the cameras zoomed in on him saying: “There comes a time when the nation is more important than the individual. I hereby tender my resignation as Vice-President of Kanu.”

Saitoti’s buddy, Kamotho did not speak in public but later scoffed at the coup saying: “I went to Kasarani not knowing that Kasarani will be Kisirani (will be used to fight me)!” For my own safety, I skipped the historic Kanu-NDP merger as I was warned and cautioned by my family members, colleagues and NDP insiders, who included Kasipul-Kabondo MP, Paddy Ahenda, who was my dad’s cousin, to keep off.

I obliged and covered the event on Tv from the comfort of my arm chair at Nation Centre.

My last visit to Kasarani was on August 7, 2022, during the last Azimio ya Umoja Coalition rally, organized and attended by Raila, and his running mate, former Constitutional Affairs Minister, Martha Karua, to drum up support for his fifth presidential bid.

Azimio La Umoja and Kenya Kwanza rallies

I opted to travel from my house by matatu (van), motorbike to Nyayo National Stadium where the Kenya Kwanza Coalition presidential candidate, William Ruto, held his last campaign rally.

Nyayo stadium was filled almost to the brim with party members and supporters dressed in yellow, United Democratic Party colour. From Nyayo stadium, off Mombasa Road, I travelled to Kasarani by matatu through the Central Business Centre, where I met many other Azimio supporters on board ready for the 30-minute ride.

Most of the passengers, like me, alighted off Thika Superhighway next to Nairobi Safari Park hotel and crossed the busy thoroughfare to Kasarani, where we met a big crowd of Azimio Coalition supporters walking; riding motorbikes while others were driven in buses, vans and saloon cars.

On arrival at Kasarani, it was free seating; I picked a strategic seat facing the main podium on the floor of the stadium where I had a vintage view of the very important people’s (VIP) seats and podium. For the next four hours, it was entertainment and sideshows galore by gospel, local and foreign musicians as the VIPs took their sweet time to arrive in their limousine surrounded by their armed body guards.

At 2.30pm. the man of the hour, Raila, arrived in a convoy of over 20 top of the range gas-guzzlers and made a lap of honour as the Master of Ceremony and the Disc Jockey worked up the crowd in songs, dance and political slogans and chants. The speeches were unusually brief by the selected gubernatorial, senatorial, Women Representatives, Members of Parliament and Members of the County Assembly.

When the time came for Raila to speak, Kasarani was a sea-head of his supporters dressed in the Azimio colours, blue, orange and/or red T-shirts and carrying posters of their favourite candidates.

In his speech, Raila said: “I urge you to come out in large numbers and vote for me to be the Fifth President of the Republic of Kenya.” And with those many words the rally ended and the thousands of supporters left the stadium ready to vote in the next 48 hours.

One month after the Azimio rally, it seems that Kasarani was a “kisirani” as predicted by Joseph Kamotho three decades ago for the former Langata MP and Prime Minister as he lost the race to State House by 223,211 votes against Dr Ruto, who garnered 50.49 per cent of the 14,213,13 votes cast to be declared as the President Elect.