Nakuru Residents Oppose Ruto’s Affordable Housing Project Near Afraha Stadium
Tension is rising in Nakuru County as residents strongly oppose a planned affordable housing project on land next to the Afraha Stadium.
The land in question is the Afraha Annex, a well-known space that has hosted local sports events for years, and now appears to be at the centre of a looming conflict between the county government and the community.
According to reports, the Nakuru County government has identified the Afraha Annex as a potential site for the affordable housing project under President William Ruto’s plan.
This has caused public outcry among residents and sports stakeholders, who fear that the development would take away an important recreational space that benefits youth, schools, and local sports teams.
The situation escalated on June 12 when county officials visited the site to carry out a feasibility study for the proposed housing units.
The visit triggered alarm and frustration from residents, especially those involved in sports, who feel that their opinions were not sought before such a major decision was made.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, the Nakuru County government had confirmed the plans, stating that County Chief Officer for Housing and Development, Arch. Kamau Kuria, had officially inspected the site for the upcoming social housing project.
The post said the county was committed to pushing forward with the affordable housing agenda. However, the backlash that followed led to the post being removed, although by then the damage had already been done.
Many residents are accusing the county of trying to forcefully reassign public recreational land without proper public participation.
They argue that such decisions should involve the people who use the land daily, including school children and local sports teams, who rely heavily on the Afraha Annex for training and recreation, particularly during weekends and school holidays.
Sports lovers in the region have voiced strong concerns, pointing out that the Afraha Annex plays a critical role in supporting sporting activities that the main Afraha Stadium cannot accommodate.
The stadium, while undergoing upgrades since 2022 with Ksh650 million funding from the World Bank, still lacks facilities for sports like basketball and indoor games.
Though improvements have been made, such as turning the dusty murram track into a modern blue tartan surface, the future of the Annex remains uncertain.
Investigations by Newshub.co.ke show that the Afraha Annex is not just a patch of land—it is a vital community asset used by many, especially the youth. Its loss would negatively affect local sports development and deny children a safe place to play and train.
In response to growing concerns, human rights activists have taken action by filing a petition at the Nakuru County Assembly, seeking to halt the planned construction.
A public participation meeting has also been scheduled for Wednesday, where residents hope to make their voices heard and prevent what they see as an unfair takeover of their land.
This isn’t the first time the government’s affordable housing plan has faced opposition. Back in March 2025, a similar uproar was witnessed in Nairobi’s Lang’ata constituency, where residents pushed back against a Ksh25 billion housing project, citing land ownership disputes and threats to their privacy.
The Nakuru case is quickly shaping up to be another major test of the government’s commitment to involving the public in decisions that affect them directly.
As the Wednesday meeting approaches, all eyes are now on the county assembly and whether they will listen to the concerns of the people.
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