Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced that Kenya has struck a deal with the NBA for the construction of a sports arena in Nairobi.
The county boss who is in the US as part of President William Ruto's entourage at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said the National Basketball Association will be in the country in November.
"Slam Dunk! The @NBA and @NBAAfrica in Nairobi from November. Great wins for us led by H.E. @WilliamsRuto. Additionally, we are working with Masai Ujiri to create the Nairobi Arena, (check out the Kigali Arena); this will be bigger and more exciting," Sakaja said on Friday via social platform X.
Masai Ujiri is a British-born Nigerian-Canadian professional basketball executive and former player and president of the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association.
The Kigali Arena Sakaja made reference to is a 10,000-capacity facility for indoor sports such as basketball, handball, volleyball, and tennis, as well as concerts and conferences.
The arena constructed in 2021 had a name change on May 24, 2022 to BK Arena.
Sakaja who posted photos of him, the President, and Sports CS Ababu Namwamba in a meeting with NBA officials in New York said the plan is to replicate the idea back home.
"Even as it’s at the exploratory stage, the commitment by both the National and County Government should give this the required impetus. A great opportunity for our young people. We must get it right," he said.
Sakaja also posted a video of him and Ruto and his entourage strolling on the streets of New York.
Ruto led the Kenyan delegation to the UNGA 2023 summit where he made his presentation on Thursday.
The President continued his bold advocacy for a new climate financing system that's fair to both the rich and developing economies.
