By MUTWIRI MUTUOTA

Dedan Kimathi Ruring’u Stadium is no ordinary sporting facility.

The biggest sporting arena in Central Province is enshrined in the country’s history. And to underline its status, it is the only other facility besides Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium run by Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB).

In 1963, shortly before the country’s founding father Jomo Kenyatta took over leadership, he travelled to the facility to receive a huge consignment of uniforms, weapons and other material from Mau Mau freedom fighters who had waged a guerrilla war against the colonialists.

The act that saw thousands of dreadlocked fighters emerge from the forests formally ending their resistance against British occupiers was among the final deeds that led to Kenya’s independence.

Moved to Nyeri

Athletes train in Ruring’u Stadium track.

The arena was established in the 1930s by colonial District Commissioner to provide the settler administrators that lived in the surrounding Ruring’u Estate (that served as the District headquarters before it was moved to Nyeri Town, 1.5km away) a recreational facility.

In the 1980s through the mid 90s, the facility then renamed Moi Ruring’u Stadium was at its full splendour as it played host to Central’s Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show as well as key sports events.

During that golden period, the grounds and surrounding land where exhibition stalls were erected were kept in immaculate condition.

As a sports venue, Ruringu’s well-manicured and marked murram track as well as the perfectly trimmed pitch was the choice venue for all athletics events in the province as well as hosting football ties involving teams such as Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards in their heyday.

As a youngster growing in Ruringu, this writer was among those who regularly visited the stadium to train, compete in mid distance races during school competitions and on weekends, follow the various sports events that used to be held there.

Apart from football and athletics, Ruring’u used to host volleyball and darts competitions among others.

Falling perimeter fence in front of dilapidated main stands. [PHOTOS: MOSES NJAGI/STANDARD]

Now renamed in honour of Mau Mau hero, Dedan Kimathi, the stadium has been stripped of its grandeur, its current state resembling a haunted house. The genesis of the decline can be traced to ASK’s decision to move their annual exhibition to Kabiru-ini Grounds, some 30km away in 1996.

Last month, Athletics Kenya Central branch decided to use the Sh100,000 they received from the national office to spruce the stadium for the third weekend meeting.

The patchwork only applied a thin veneer to the rot that only two months ago, was extensively covered by local media.

Stripped of grandeur

The murram track is now uneven, the pitch bumpy and the presidential dais that used to gleam in the sunlight now ashen from years of neglect.

The main stand seats have been cannibalised with the boards used for firewood, leaving rusting metal while the exhibition stalls that used to host ASK stands now occupied by informal settlers, evangelical churches and cheap alcohol joints.

The perimeter wall has been systematically robbed of its bricks, leaving threadbare covering while the huge metallic scoreboard is almost falling. Do not dare to venture there after dusk if you value life since the neglected stadium has become an ideal hideout for muggers and other vagabonds.

While SSMB has been lauded for turning around the fortunes of Kasarani and Nyayo, Ruring’u Stadium represents its failure to execute its mandate.

The facility is not a fitting tribute to Kimathi, who sacrificed his life for Kenya’s independence.