{"id":2000108235,"date":"2026-04-10T18:45:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T16:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/?p=2000108235"},"modified":"2026-04-12T11:31:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T09:31:08","slug":"nairobi-arena-should-have-been-built-before-kigalis-president-ruto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/nairobi-arena-should-have-been-built-before-kigalis-president-ruto\/","title":{"rendered":"Nairobi arena should have been built before Kigali\u2019s \u2013 President Ruto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

He made the remarks on April 10, 2026, at State House, Nairobi, during the signing of a lease agreement between the Kenya Railways Corporation and Zaria Group for the development of a modern arena and entertainment district under the Nairobi Railway City project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Ruto said the agreement marks a turning point in the transformation of Nairobi into a globally competitive capital, driven by structured planning, public-private partnerships, and coordinated urban regeneration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that the Nairobi Railway City master plan is designed to convert underutilised land in the city centre into a mixed-use district integrating transport, commerce, culture, sports, and public life, with the aim of establishing a vibrant 24-hour economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is true that this arena should have been built before the one in Kigali, and Ujiri would have wanted that to happen,\u201d Ruto said. \u201cBut we thank God that finally we are doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that Nairobi\u2019s slow decision-making processes had previously held back major opportunities for the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruto further revealed that he personally intervened in negotiations to finalise the agreement, including adjusting financial terms to ensure consensus was reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
President William Ruto acknowledged that delays in decision-making and fragmentation slowed Kenya\u2019s progress despite early conceptualisation of the project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The President emphasised that the project reflects a shift toward private-sector-driven development, noting that government alone cannot finance all infrastructure needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that the Nairobi Railway City project will serve as a model for integrated urban development, supported by broader improvements in infrastructure, including roads, lighting, security systems, and cleanliness within the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruto said the arena will not only serve sporting purposes but will also support music, arts, and the wider creative economy, positioning Nairobi as a regional hub for entertainment and international events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He further said the project will complement other flagship developments such as the Talanta Stadium and the Bomas of Kenya conference facility, creating a comprehensive ecosystem for sports, culture, and business tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project, which is expected to be completed within 12 months, is projected to create up to 25,000 jobs annually across construction, operations, hospitality, and the creative economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
President William Ruto witnessed the signing of a lease agreement between the Kenya Railways Corporation and Zaria Group for the development of a modern arena and entertainment district under the Nairobi Railway City project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Zaria Group co-founder Masai Ujiri described the project as a historic milestone, saying it goes beyond sports to become a major driver of Africa\u2019s creative economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m actually overwhelmed, Your Excellency. This is historical. This is momentous,\u201d Ujiri said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He emphasised that the arena will not be limited to basketball, but will serve as a business hub for sports, entertainment, and the creative industry across Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn Africa, we don\u2019t understand sports, entertainment, and the creative industry as a business. This is a business. This is going to become an economic driver,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ujiri noted that the facility will provide young people with space to express themselves, adding that sports and the creative industry play a role in promoting peace, unity, and opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also acknowledged Rwanda\u2019s role in pioneering such developments, referencing Zaria Court and President Paul Kagame\u2019s leadership in advancing sports infrastructure on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPresident Kagame and Kigali and the Kigali arena have done an incredible job of at least starting this for us,\u201d Ujiri said, adding that the Nairobi project will strengthen continental exchange in sports and entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nairobi Railway City arena is expected to become a key anchor for regional cultural and sporting exchanges, with plans for artists, athletes, and performers to circulate between African cities for events and competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Kigali complex was inaugurated by President Kagame in July 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The $25 million world-class sports and lifestyle complex in Kigali was inaugurated by President Kagame in July 2025, during the Giants of Africa Festival, a pan-African celebration of youth, creativity, and sport. The event drew notable figures, including Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, business leaders, creatives, and young talents from across the continent. The property recently joined Hilton\u2019s Tapestry Collection as a franchised partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zaria Court features an 80-room hotel, multiple restaurants, a rooftop lounge, a gym, co-working spaces, a podcast studio, a broadcast centre, and a large multipurpose arena for sports, concerts, and cultural events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside, the facility includes five-a-side football pitches, a callisthenics area, children\u2019s play zones, and open green spaces. A modular retail park, built from stacked shipping containers, provides affordable space for Kigali\u2019s rising designers, food vendors, and small business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The complex features an 80-room hotel, multiple restaurants, a rooftop lounge, a gym, co-working spaces, a podcast studio, a broadcast centre, and a large multipurpose arena for sports, concerts, and cultural events.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

President William Ruto has said that Nairobi\u2019s modern arena and entertainment district should have been developed before Rwanda\u2019s Zaria complex, acknowledging that delays in decision-making and fragmentation slowed Kenya\u2019s progress despite early conceptualisation of the project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000108238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[151,72],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000108235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-editors-choice","tag-featured-news-home","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"contributors":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"featured_image":{"id":2000108238,"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HFhytigXUAAxgjV.jpeg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":2080,"height":1387,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HFhytigXUAAxgjV.jpeg","width":150,"height":100},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HFhytigXUAAxgjV.jpeg","width":300,"height":200},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HFhytigXUAAxgjV.jpeg","width":768,"height":512},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HFhytigXUAAxgjV.jpeg","width":1024,"height":683},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HFhytigXUAAxgjV.jpeg","width":2080,"height":1387}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000108235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000108235"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000108235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000108284,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000108235\/revisions\/2000108284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000108238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000108235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000108235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000108235"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000108235"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000108235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}