President Ruto to immortalize Austine Odhiambo at renovated Baba Dogo Grounds

Harambee Stars midfielder Austine Odhiambo is set to receive special recognition once the Baba Dogo Grounds is upgraded by the government.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More News

The infamous Baba Dogo grounds have occupied the headlines lately for both good and controversial reasons that have caught the attention of the highest office and officeholder in the land—Kenyan President William Ruto.

The community ground has experienced ownership wrangles between the Baba Dogo community and Panafric Industries, with both parties claiming ownership of the ground.

The President, who has weighed in on the matter and insisted the ground belongs to the community, hailed the role Odhiambo has played in protecting the ground and promised to immortalize him.

The President told Odhiambo in a jovial manner while interacting with the Harambee Stars African Nations Championship (CHAN) squad when he hosted the team to a luncheon at State House, Nairobi, in a video that has gone viral.

“I have directed the Cabinet Secretary (Salim Mvurya) to look for money for the upgrading of Baba Dogo, and then we will inscribe the name ‘Austine’ in it,” President Ruto stated.

Odhiambo, who is one of the many stars whose talents have been nurtured at Baba Dogo Grounds, has been vocal against the takeover of the grounds from the community.

Victor Wanyama: CHAN showed the untapped potential of Kenyan football

The Gor Mahia star has on three different occasions raised the matter with the president when Ruto paid a visit to the team.

The latest involved Odhiambo bringing to the president’s attention that Panafric was still hell-bent on taking the grounds despite his proclamation, to which the president promised to find a permanent solution.

Panafaric is backed by a court order declaring them as the rightful owners of the ground, while the community insists that the ground has always belonged to them, even before the entry of Panafaric into the area.

Kakamega Homeboyz awaiting FKF's greenlight for Matasi return

In July, backed by the police, Panafric ejected traders along the stadium, uprooted the goalposts, and began the construction of a perimeter wall in the area.

In a visit to the larger Embakassi region of Nairobi the same month, the residents compelled the Head of State to intervene on the matter, to which he stated that the ground belongs to the community and ordered police out of the area.

In what is a win for the community, children from the larger Ruaraka constituency who benefit from the stadium are currently using the grounds after Ruto's intervention.