The football spirit lives on in Ngong despite 10 year wait for a stadium

The football spirit lives on in Ngong despite 10 year wait for a stadium

Eric Munene 07:30 - 24.09.2024

Ngong Stadium was packed to witness an intense Sunday League game

On Sunday at 4pm, people made their way to a field in Ngong that is their 'stadium' to witness a cup final between Young Shine and 5 star FC.

Despite there not being stands for the fans, the organizers of the match hired plastic chairs that were charged at 40 shillings per seat.

Even before the match began, the seats were already full as more people flocked into the undeveloped football field to watch cheer one their teams. It was neither an FKF or NSL match but the field had more than a thousand spectators.

Fans drove across all areas in Ngong to the pitch that is located approximately 400 metres from the Ngong t-junction.

Young Shine, led by their right back Nathan Kolongo and their 6 foot midfielder Gaucho took the lead early in the first half but a mishap in defence in the second half costed them a penalty that brought the game level.

The game would go level until 120 minutes where Young Shine won on penalties and brought joy and pride to the people of Ngong area where the team is based.

After the game, fans called out the government for not fulfilling their promise of building a stadium.

Ever since the first Kajiado County governor, David Ole Nkedianye came into power in 2013 only 50 Million has been used on the Stadium from a proposed 200 Million Kenya shillings.

Now, 10 years later, with the current governor, Joseph ole Lenku serving his second term in office, the stadium has not been developed again causing continued frustration and frequent questions of where the money for the stadium development went to.

Three years ago, Citizen TV covered a story on the stadium showing the situation of the ground that was reclaimed by the residents just to play football. Motorists drive just outside the field as they move along with their transportation duties.

The field is also a shortcut for drivers who want to access the Catholic church and residences that are just behind the field.

The field is supposed to have a track to allow training for long and middle distance running, but the runner train in Ngong hills or Kibiku Forest.

At this rate, the government seems not to care anymore about the stadium and the residence now hope that maybe a private investor will come and salvage the situation.

Last month, the registrar of broken dreams Morara Kebaso went to the stadium to follow up on the progress made so far. He uncovered that 50 million has been used only to build a perimeter wall has still has not been finished to this day.

Jeremiah Ole Ncharo, the County Executive Committee member at the time, (3 years ago) blamed the delayed situation on Covid 19 and that they were aiming at completing the stadium by the end of that year, (2021).

Despite the broken dreams of a stadium in Ngong, there is definitely potential for an ultimate football community that can bring changes not only to the development of infrastructure in Ngong but also the naturing of the talents that people spent their afternoon watching.