Situated next Lumumba estate in Nakuru’s Bondeni Estate and next to Bondeni Police Station, Kamukunji Grounds stands out with great history on matters football.
When the phrase ‘inter-estate football tournament is mentioned among residents of Nakuru East sub county, it brings the nostalgia of the days when the inter-estate tournament was a do or die the Kamukunji Grounds.
There are numerous talents who were brought up and trained at Kamukunji Grounds but their prowess saw them join national teams.
However, besides the Football and talents, the Kamukunji Grounds was used as a political space just like the Nairobi’s Kamukunji Grounds.
History has it that the late former President Daniel Moi would host political rallies at Nakuru’s Kamukunji Grounds whenever he was in Nakuru.
But a step into the Kamukunji Grounds in Nakuru county, one will notice that larger part of the ground has no grass.
Famousnakuru.co.ke sought to understand what led to the same.
In an interview, Baharini Community Forum Chairperson Maurice Otieno revealed that it will be difficult for grass to grow at Kamukunji Grounds in Nakuru.
According to him, a political meeting at the ground by late former President Daniel Moi is what occasioned the same.
Maurice states that the political rally held at the grounds in late 1980s is to blame for the grassless stadium.
He reveals that before the meeting was held, the organizers brought gravel and poured on the ground before pouring water and compacting the same.
This was a measure to ensure no dust affects the attendees of the political meeting.
However, many years since the event, the ground is bearing the impacts of the gravel.
According to Maurice, for grass to grow on the ground, there need to be a serious digging meters deep to remove the gravel that was compacted.
His words seem to be true as a move by area MP David Gikaria to grow grass on the ground failed despite all measures put in place.
For now, the ground remains but a dusty one especially during the dry season.
