President William Ruto has announced plans to transform the historic Jacaranda Grounds in Kayole, Nairobi, into a modern sports stadium, with construction set to begin in September 2025.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Savannah–Stage 17 bridge road in Soweto, Embakasi East, the president said the stadium is part of a broader development plan to uplift public infrastructure in the city’s Eastlands region.
In addition to the stadium, he revealed that a public school and hospital would also be constructed within the Jacaranda Grounds.
“These developments are about dignity, opportunity, and inclusion for the people of Nairobi,” President Ruto said.
The grounds are iconic even for President Ruto himself. His campaign was mobbed by a group of irate youth at the death of political campaigns. His scheduled plan was met with stone-throwing opposition forcing him to conduct the rally ontop of his vehicle.
Jacaranda’s Unifying Acres
But for many residents, Jacaranda Grounds is more than just empty land – it is a vibrant social and political melting pot.
Open 24 hours a day, the grounds are constantly teeming with activity.
On one end, hawkers sell sugarcane and snacks.
On another, youths play football, while learner drivers circle the open space, hoping to master the clutch. Private car owners often rent out their vehicles to first-timers eager to “feel the wheel.”
“It never sleeps,” says a long-time resident. “You’ll find people here at all hours—practising driving, playing, hustling, or just passing time.”
The grounds also serve as a political classroom of sorts. Under the banner Bunge La Wananchi, citizens gather daily to debate politics, governance, and social justice.
With a makeshift “Mr. Speaker” moderating discussions, residents discuss everything from devolution and the housing levy to shifting political alliances.
Influential local figures like Gaucho, Omosh One Hour, and Kimbi Kimbi all emerged from these passionate public forums.
Although a beloved landmark tree that once served as a central meeting point was mysteriously felled in March 2023, the spirit of civic engagement lives on.
Nestled between affluent estates like Jacaranda and Sosiani on one side and the densely populated Soweto and Patanisho slums on the other, Jacaranda Grounds has long stood as a rare unifier a shared space for all walks of life.
