Baba Dogo, located in Ruaraka along Outering Road in Nairobi, is mostly home to a working-class and low-to-middle-income population.
The area is surrounded by factories and industries, attracting factory workers, artisans, and casual laborers who choose to live nearby. It is also a hub for small traders, including kiosk owners, food vendors, boda boda operators, and others involved in the jua kali sector.
The relatively affordable rent, compared to neighboring estates like Thome and Garden Estate, has made Baba Dogo appealing to young families and students seeking cheaper housing.
Beyond its reputation as one of Nairobi’s busiest industrial and residential estates, Baba Dogo has produced talented footballers, thanks to its large playing fields.
Notable Players Who Nurtured Their Talents at Baba Dogo Grounds
Notable players include Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga, Joshua Onyango of Gor Mahia FC, Austin Odhiambo of Gor Mahia, and Kenya Police’s Tyson Otieno.
The dusty Baba Dogo Grounds have witnessed the rise of footballers whose passion and persistence carried them from the dust to the continental stage.
Despite the fame that the grounds have brought to the community, the land faces ongoing threats from private developers trying to claim it.
In February 2022, Kenafric Industries issued an eviction notice, giving residents three months to vacate the site, which is commonly used as a community football ground. Kenafric claimed ownership of the land.
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Residents were told to stop all activities, remove structures, and leave. In June 2025, residents protested what they saw as a targeted land grab by a private company.
Police, acting on a court order, enforced evictions that led to confrontations and the demolition of structures, deepening suspicions about the seizure of communal grounds.
In response to mounting backlash, Kenafric issued a statement denying claims of a land grab- maintaining that its legal ownership of the property—Land Reference Number 336/109—and confirmed that the Environment and Land Court upheld their title.
In July 2025, Nairobi Governor John Sakaja, who visited Ruaraka Constituency, assured Baba Dogo residents that a solution would be found regarding the contested land.
“I understand the Baba Dogo Ground issue very well. It’s a matter I have followed closely since my time as your Senator, so it is not new to me.”
He acknowledged that Kenafric had won the legal dispute over the land but promised a solution to ensure access to the playground.
“Kenafric did win the ownership case in court, but here is what we are going to do. We will either negotiate with them so the county can buy the land and keep it as a public playground, or we will find them alternative land. What is certain is that our players will not be kicked out of that ground,” said Sakaja.
Ruto Orders Immediate Withdrawal of Police Officers from The Playing Field
During the same month, at the launch of the Climate Worx: Rehabilitating the Nairobi River Programme, President William Ruto ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers guarding the site, asserting that the land belonged to the community.
That order secured the grounds and marked a turning point in protecting Nairobi’s shrinking public playfields.
A month later, the issue re-emerged in an emotional moment. After Harambee Stars’ CHAN 2024 final group stage clash against Zambia at Kasarani, President Ruto visited the team’s changing room.
Forward Austin Odhiambo- raised in Baba Dogo and one of the Harambee Stars players who scored two goals in the tournament- made a heartfelt appeal for the grounds to remain in the hands of the people.
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His plea echoed the dreams of thousands of youths who had found their footing on that dusty pitch. Visibly moved, Ruto pledged to personally fund the construction and renovation of Baba Dogo Grounds, promising to turn it into a modern football facility.
“That is your pitch, and I will make sure it is done,” Ruto said.
The intervention was not just about saving land; it was about securing the grassroots pipeline of Kenyan football.
By protecting and upgrading it, Kenya honors those who came before and secures the future for those who will come.
It is no coincidence that the first Harambee Stars Village Fan Zone was hosted at Baba Dogo Grounds.
The decision was symbolic: a recognition that the same field that has produced legends should also be the place where fans gather to celebrate, unite, and defend the game.
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