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Leaders in Mombasa have joined calls by sportspeople for the county to buy off sports grounds in private hands.
Bilima ground, a famous pitch which has hosted Football Kenya Federation matches since early 1990s, is on the verge of being sold off after the owner expressed interest in selling it to private developers.
The ground hosts students from at least 11 schools who use the field for their sports events.
It also hosts Idd prayers at the end of the holy month of Ramadhan.
“This ground had produced Kenyan soccer legends like Crispin Odula, who played for Gor Mahia and the national team Harambee Stars, and Ali Breik alias Katolila,” said Magogoni MCA Mohamed Hassan alias Gago.
Gago on Sunday said the owner has been kind enough to allow it to be used by the community for more than three decades.
“When we heard someone has come out to claim ownership, we did a thorough search and discovered it is true that he owns it.
“As leaders, we are trying to find a solution, which is to buy it off from the owner, who is willing to sell it so that it remains for use by the community,” Gago said.
Haki Yetu programmes officer Julius Wanyama said the field has helped many people stay healthy.
“Every morning and evening, old men use this grounds to try and stay fit and healthy. You will see them jogging and exercising here,” he said.
He called on the county government to enter into negotiations with the owner of the land and see how they can agree on an amicable solution.
He said the grounds has helped keep youth busy and in the process gotten them out of dangerous vices like drug abuse.
“This grounds has helped many youth and young children stay busy and focused on their football. This gets them off unhealthy thoughts,” he said.
Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba said they will have to sit down with the land owner and find out the exact size of land he owns and whether he has already set aside a portion for social amenities.
“All persons with a certain amount of land have to give a portion of it towards a public utility. If you construct a building, you have to know there will be children who would require a playing ground,” Bedzimba said.
He said if need be, he will have to be paid off by the county government.
“This grounds is very important to the community around. If these youth were not here watching or playing football, they would be in gangs terrorising people,” the MP said.
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki, who was involved in a charity match pitting Mvita football legends against their Kisauni counterparts towards helping secure the ground for the community, said he will work with other leaders to ensure the Bilima grounds remains for the community.
Those who perpetrate insecurity in Kisauni are youth between 15 and 22 years of age and Faki said these are the people whose talents should be nurtured to get them out of crime.
“And if we lose grounds like these, many will miss the opportunity to have their talents nurtured and they may end up in criminal gangs and in drug abuse,” the senator said.
Faki said many sports grounds in Mombasa are in private hands and schools.
For the school grounds, the senator said title deeds must be processed to secure them.
And for those in private hands, the senator said they will sit down and discuss the possibility of selling them to the county to remain community grounds.
Former Harambee Stars Crispin Odula said the ground has produced football greats in Kenya and many more will come from there and so it has to be protected.
“This grounds helps the community and it has to remain for the community,” Odula said.
