President Ruto Promises Austin Odhiambo to Buy Back the Contested Babadogo Grounds for Footballers

The bromance between President William Ruto and Harambee Stars seems to be growing stronger, giving CHAN tournament top scorer, Austin Odhiambo, the confidence to boldly walk to the president and make a personal request.

In a viral video posted on the Football Kenya Federation’s Instagram page showing President Ruto interacting with the national team players in the changing room after their gallant display in defeating Zambia and securing top spot in Group A, Austin walks to the president asking for his intervention in securing the Baba Dogo Grounds for the local community.

In his response: “Ile kiwanja nishaamua… nitanyorosha. Usijali, hiyo nitasort out. Hio ni kiwanja yenyu. Na hata kama nitalipa, mimi nitalipa.”

The statement renews hope for residents of Baba Dogo, Lucky Summer and Korogocho, who have used the Baba Dogo grounds, not only as a sporting ground, but also for economic activity. Baba Dogo ground has long served as a cradle of local talent, producing some of Kenya’s finest footballers, including Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga.

The ownership of the field has lately come under sharp focus after Kenafric Properties Limited expressed its intent to have it fenced off, following a court order that affirmed its ownership of the piece of land. President Ruto’s latest proclamation comes just a month after he ordered police who had been called onsite to vacate the premises, declaring, “That field belongs to the people,” and promising that the government would develop it into a sports facility.

Official records identify the parcel as L.R. No. 336/109, currently owned by Kenafric Properties Limited. The company initially acquired the property in 1996, secured a lease extension in 2004, and formally registered the transfer of ownership in 2014. In June this year, the Environment and Land Court reaffirmed Kenafric Properties Limited’s legal ownership, setting the stage for repossession efforts for property development that have since triggered confrontations between police and local residents.

President Ruto has renewed his commitment to resolving the land matter, announcing that the government will move to acquire the land and give it to the community. His remarks signal a possible compulsory acquisition process, where the State purchases private land for public interest, potentially transforming the site into a public sports ground.

If carried out, this would represent a significant shift, weighing private property rights against the community’s longstanding social and historical attachment to the land.

The President’s intervention underscores the tension between the community’s longstanding attachment to the Baba Dogo Grounds and the legal rights of a private landowner. Any move to convert the space into a public sports facility would therefore need to navigate both the legal framework and the community’s expectations.