Eldoret Residents Protest Kipchoge Keino Stadium Expansion Into Cemetery

A section of residents in Eldoret City has protested the extension of Kipchoge Keino Stadium into a nearby cemetery. They argue the move went ahead without adequate public participation.

The protest was led by the Huruma Ward Member of County Assembly, who addressed the gathering in Eldoret. The MCA said exhumation of bodies from the cemetery requires a court order.

That order, the MCA noted, has not been issued in this case. Businesses and residents working close to the burial ground have called on relevant authorities to engage affected parties.

Under Kenyan law, disturbing or relocating human remains generally requires authorisation from a court. Clearance from public health and county government offices is typically also required beforehand.

Communities near affected burial sites are usually expected to be consulted before such an order is sought. Kipchoge Keino Stadium is currently under construction, with a perimeter fence being erected close to the cemetery boundary.

Cemeteries in Kenya are generally protected under public health regulations that restrict development near burial sites without formal clearance. Large infrastructure projects bordering such land typically require an environmental impact assessment before construction proceeds.

Kipchoge Keino Stadium has been part of wider efforts in recent years to upgrade sporting infrastructure in Eldoret, a city long associated with the country's distance running success. Renovation work has included improvements to the stadium's track and spectator facilities.

The facility is named after Kipchoge Keino, the Kenyan middle and long distance runner. His Olympic victories in the 1960s and 1970s helped establish the country's global reputation in athletics, inspiring generations of Kenyan runners who followed him onto the international circuit.

Eldoret, the largest city in Uasin Gishu County, has produced a large share of Kenya's elite runners. The city has become closely associated with the sport over the past several decades, drawing athletes, coaches and training camps from across the region.

Residents are demanding that due process be followed to respect the dignity of the deceased and the rights of the surrounding community. They have not called for construction to stop entirely.

Instead, they want engagement with affected parties before the project extends further into the cemetery. No timeline has been given for when the disputed section might proceed.

It also remains unclear whether authorities plan to seek the necessary court order before continuing. The protest adds to a broader pattern of disputes in Kenya over infrastructure projects encroaching on burial grounds.

Such disputes have previously stalled or reshaped road, rail and building projects elsewhere in the country. Courts have at times required developers to alter routes or secure exhumation orders before work could continue, adding months or years to construction timelines in the process.