Camp Toyoyo ground falls into disrepair as fight to manage it rages

The Camp Toyoyo ground in Jericho Estate, Nairobi is situated in a prime location, just minutes by road from the CBD.

Understandably most Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and National Super League (NSL) sides as well as lower-tier sides based in Nairobi use the venue for training as well as hosting their home matches.

This was not the case before. In 2014, former Makadara Member of Parliament Benson Mutura launched a project to renovate the pitch that was a hunting ground for football talent back in the 1980s and 90s.

A new perimeter wall was erected around the pitch and a new artificial turf laid using resources from the Makadara Constituency Development Fund.

Slightly over Sh50 million was used in phase one of the refurbishment of the facility with more works including building terraces scheduled for the next phase.

That was never to be though as Mutura was voted out during the 2017 General Elections with George Aladwa coming in as the new MP of the area.

With the turf now clearly overused and worn out, the facility urgently requires attention.

“We had a properly laid out maintenance plan and the turf was supposed to be replaced this year. I, however, handed over everything to the current office and I am not sure why the pitch is not in good shape, I cannot speak on their behalf as I am no longer the area MP,” Mutura told Nation Sport.

A change of guard in regards to the management of the pitch was obviously going to happen after Aladwa’s entry  but that has proven to be hard to execute.

 “The pitch was under the Camp Toyoyo Project Management Committee and I initiated a process to appoint new managers but this was met with a lot of resistance. Up to date, this has never happened and it is the reason why my office has been unable to carry out any refurbishments or upgrades at the facility,” said Aladwa.

Documents in our possession reveal that indeed Aladwa had written letters to facilitate the appointment of a new committee and groundsmen to take charge of Camp Toyoyo.

The new committee was to include former Kenya Internationals George Waweru and Victor Onyango amongst others.

“I am appealing to you to facilitate the taking over of Camp Toyoyo in Makadara Constituency by the new staff and Project Management Committee,” a letter from Aladwa to Deputy County Commissioner Fredrick Ndunga reads.

“I have instructed the sub-county social development officer in liaison with Constituency Development Fund Manager to facilitate the handing over of Camp Toyoyo to the new Project Management Committee and staff immediately – not later than 30th March 2018,” another letter to the Deputy County Commissioner reads.

Efforts to replace the old staff at the facility by Aladwa and his team never bore fruit as they allegedly opened a new bank account under another Community Based Organisation (CBO) and continued to take charge of Camp Toyoyo.

“The official Camp Toyoyo Project Management Committee bank account has over Sh1 million in it but we cannot use the funds even for the slightest of repairs because the staff that were there before I was appointed have refused to vacate office despite all my efforts,” Aladwa says.

“I have even written to the DCI over the same matter because really, they are using a public facility to their own benefit and it is not fair at all,” the Makadara Member of Parliament adds.

A member of the board that has been running the facility even before the change of guard in Makadara Constituency however alleges Aladwa is trying to take over the pitch unlawfully.

“This is a community pitch and while we appreciate the fact that he (Aladwa) is the area MP, he should follow the law in whatever he is trying to do. What is so difficult in holding a public participation forum to discuss issues of the pitch?

“Why can’t we reason together and find a way forward instead of him just waking up one day and sacking people who have been managing the facility for many years?” Queried the member of the board, who requested anonymity for fear of victimization.

“This pitch belongs to the community and we have a ‘stay order’  from the court. All grievances can be addressed amicably without using force. He cannot evict people who have been managing the facility unlawfully. He has been an MP for four years and has never done anything to upgrade the facility,” he added.

“I am following the law in replacing the people who have been managing the facility under the previous regime to date and I have followed all due processes regarding this matter since I was elected as the Member of Parliament," Aladwa added.