Years back, the 45-hectare parcel of land where the 60,000-seater Raila Odinga International Stadium now stands was merely an open field. Today, the expansive football pitch—adorned with the iconic white, red, green, and black shield and spears of the Kenyan flag—looks like a dream come true to many.

Located adjacent to the Jamhuri ASK Showground and the Nairobi Polo Club along Ngong Road, the open land once served as a key recreational green space and home ground for amateur football clubs.

Cradle for local sporting personalities

A portion of the parcel was associated with the Telkom/Posta sports facilities, frequently hosting domestic league matches, corporate sports days, and grassroots athletics before it was repurposed for the national flagship stadium project.

For many whose talent or love for the game was groomed there—including football managers, coaches, and fans—the grounds hold deep personal history. However, it was also a notorious nighttime haven for criminal gangs marauding from neighbouring suburbs.

Memories of nolstagia

Mark Ongwae, an FKF Premier League coach and Shabana FC tactician, shared nostalgic memories of the area, then widely known as Posta Grounds or Jamhuri Grounds due to its location along Ngong Road in Nairobi.

The famed grassroots coach who tutored Kakamega High School’s Green Commandoes, it was a vast open field capable of accommodating multiple football teams alongside residents who simply wanted to keep fit, watch the action, or hone their skills to earn a living.

Others vividly recall spending their early childhood on the grounds. Jeremiah Radido, an ardent Gor Mahia fan, recalled how the pitch served as a crucial training venue.

He described how young players would trek from nearby informal settlements, making their way up toward the famed grounds for routine practice sessions.

Gang hideout at night

Ironically, due to its sheer vastness, the area easily transformed into a dark hideout at night. It became a hotspot for crime where marauding gangs unleashed terror once darkness descended.

Passengers, pedestrians, and commuters were regularly accosted, and vehicles were hijacked, turning the sprawling, unlit area into a major security risk.

Residents from neighboring areas—such as Ngong, Kibra, Dagoretti, and Satellite—can all attest to these perilous nights.

Tragically, this trend turned the space into a deathbed for countless youths who lost their lives to organized city crime, while commuter buses plying the route, including City Hoppa and KBS, were frequent targets.

For many, the hallowed grounds will carry the unforgettable memories of a past childhood; the start of a sports penchant; and other beyond-the-elaborate and highly-awaited football match between Bayern Munich and Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam, which will officially open the new Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi on January 5, 2027.