Families Resist Grave Exhumation for Stadium Expansion in Eldoret.
Tension is rising in Eldoret as families with relatives buried in an old Christian cemetery next to Kipchoge Keino Stadium strongly oppose any plans to exhume the graves for the facility’s expansion.
The relatives say they were never consulted and that no proper public participation took place before construction and fencing works began near the burial ground, leaving them anxious about the future of their loved ones’ resting places.
Local leaders have joined the families in demanding clarity and respect for due process. Langas Ward MCA Francis Muya voiced the community’s concerns, urging Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii and the relevant Cabinet Secretary to intervene. “We are asking the authorities to engage these families and the community. If there is any intention to exhume the bodies, there must be consultation and a court order before anything is done,” he stated, while also appealing to President William Ruto for support.
Affected relatives have spoken out with deep emotion. Harun Maina questioned the lack of communication, asking how decisions touching the graves of their family members could be made without speaking to them first. Martin Njuguna, representing the families, was firm: “We will not sit back and watch our loved ones being removed from their final resting place. This cemetery is not just a piece of land. It has history, memories and meaning to many families in this community.”
Father Fredrick Njoroge, whose own father is buried there, expressed support for sports development but insisted on dignity for the dead. “I support sports and I support the development of this stadium. But development should not mean that we forget our responsibility to respect those who have gone before us,” he said. He stressed that families deserve a genuine chance to take part in any discussions affecting the cemetery.
The families emphasise they are not against expanding the stadium or promoting sports in Eldoret. Their demand is for full disclosure of the plans, meaningful public participation and firm guarantees that the graves will be protected. They have warned they may turn to the courts if authorities attempt any exhumation without addressing their concerns, placing the project in a delicate balance between progress and respect for the past.
