It was pomp and colour as the Nakuru Athletics Club (NAC) was officially handed by the County Government a renewed land lease as the panoramic facility marked 100 years of its existence.
Established in 1926, the heavily patronized club popularly known as NAC is one of the oldest sports clubs in Kenya that existed under the colonial regime. Indigenous Kenyans would not be allowed to use the facility then, so they would use The African Sports Stadium now referred to as Afraha Stadium.
County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Housing and Physical Planning John Kihagi handed over the renewed lease instruments to the club during a ceremony attended by county officials and representatives of the National Land Commission.
Kihagi said the county would support public social clubs and other institutions seeking to secure tenure for their properties, provided they comply with the law and complete the required legal procedures.
He said secure tenure would help institutions plan for the future while ensuring that land remains protected and used for its intended purpose.
Speaking during the presentation of the renewed lease, an ecstatic club chairman George Nyamu said: “It has been a century of learning, progress and growth filled with immense contributions from individuals who have been committed to the excellence of this great club.
“We have held a lot of activities prior to the event that have been part of the 100 years’ milestone,” he added.
As part of its centenary celebrations, the club has so far hosted various sporting disciplines including soccer, cricket, rugby, chess, snooker, swimming, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, and darts that culminated in tree planting exercise as part of its sustainable actions on climate change.
For the past 100 years NAC has been a prestigious member only club offering top tier facilities for a variety of sporting activities. Over the past century, the club has played an instrumental role in nurturing sporting talent in the county, producing world class players in various disciplines.
Some of the historical aspects of the club are intricately linked to the legendary East African rugby player D.S. “Lofty” Reynolds.
Reynolds was the most capped East African player of his time in 1950s and 1960s who represented East Africa against the British Lions, Wales and South Africa.
Reynolds was a burly second-row player for Nakuru Athletic Club and earned the honor of having a trophy and competition named in his honor, the Lofty Cup.
Nyamu pledged that as the club starts its next century, it is poised to continue fostering sportsmanship and provide a venue for athletic achievement and community engagement.
NAC which is equipped with a 2000-capacity stadium also has a rich history steeped in tradition with some colorful cast of players in various sporting disciplines who dominated the club’s earlier years, especially during the colonial era.
The NAC ground has hosted significant cricket matches, including a game featuring the Rift Valley Cricket Association XI against Minor Counties of England.
Kihagi commended the NAC management for their steadfast leadership and dedication, which has ensured the club’s continued success and relevance over the past century.
He reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment supporting NAC’s sports initiatives and emphasized the devolved unit’s broader strategy to invest in youth talent development across all sectors.
The CECM pledged that Governor Susan Kihika’s administration will continue channeling more financial resources towards promoting sports, arts and culture, which are emerging avenues for youth talent development.
He said that contrary to what many people may think, sports are not only for leisure but an important tool that can act as a wheel to transform lives in society, adding that sport was a powerful tool for the promotion of inclusion and the development of a positive self-image among youth.
“No matter what kind of sport it is; it is no doubt nowadays a big source of living for many. Sport continues to be a driver of transformative change both for individuals and societies at large, which is why organizations use it to achieve desired change in various facets of life,” Mr Kihagi noted.
He urged stakeholders to do what they must to improve the sports ecosystem and rallied the public to believe in and support sportsmen whenever they are in the field adding that they were already renovating several sporting facilities to help nurture talent and make Nakuru a leading sports tourism destination in the region.
During the occasion County Chief of Staff Dr Peter Ketyenya confirmed that the devolved unit’s administration has also approved lease extensions for Rift Valley Sports Club and Nakuru Golf Club after the institutions fulfilled the necessary legal requirements.
Dr Ketyenya said the county’s decisions are guided by public interest and the need to protect land belonging to Nakuru residents.
“The developments highlight the importance of secure land tenure in protecting recreational spaces as urban centres expand and demand for land increases. Under the Constitution, public land is held in trust for residents, while the National Land Commission administers public land on behalf of national and county governments,” he elaborated
The Constitution also assigns counties responsibility for public amenities, including sports and cultural activities and facilities, as well as county parks and recreation facilities.
Dr Ketyenya pointed out that the renewal of the Nakuru Athletic Club lease provides greater certainty for continued investment in a facility that has served successive generations.
By Esther Mwangi and Jefther Afuyo
