Uasin Gishu County Assembly minority whip Kimani Wanjohi has announced plans to seek the court’s intervention over an alleged plan to expand Kipchoge Keino Stadium to the nearby Christian Cemetery.
Wanjohi, who is also the Huruma Ward Member of County Assembly, claims the County Government of Uasin Gishu plans to exhume bodies from the cemetery to pave the way for the space to be used as part of the stadium, which is under construction.
Addressing the press at the cemetery on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the MCA accused the county of going forward with the plan without first seeking views from members of the public over the matter.
“The law is very clear. Before bodies are exhumed from a cemetery, there must be a court order. The public input should also be factored in. How comes the county plans to exhume the bodies without a court order and public participation?” Wanjohi asked.
The cemetery, which has been full for several years now, has already been sealed off. Reports indicate that the government plans to use the space for the upcoming Mashujaa Day celebrations, which Uasin Gishu will be co-hosting with Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
Should Christian Cemetery be part of Kipchoge Keino Stadium?
While it remains unconfirmed whether the bodies will be exhumed, the Huruma MCA insists any move to make the cemetery part of the stadium must be subjected to a public participation process.
“This one should be a monument, rather than being a field. Who will be comfortable training from a place that was a cemetery and where bodies were exhumed? We want clear answers from the government. Hosting Mashujaa Day doesn’t mean we do things against the law. We will go to court to stop this plan as the law is clear. This is a protected area where a monument should be built,” the Jubilee party-allied MCA said.
Some of the locals who have been depending on the cemetery to earn a living also voiced concerns over its sealing. They noted that families who buried their loved ones at the cemetery often contract them to maintain the graves, but with the planned expansion of the stadium, there will be no jobs for them.
“There are over 100 graves here, and for me, I have been depending on them for bush clearing and painting the graves. When we see the fence coming up, we are worried because we have been depending on this place,” said Daniel Kiarie, a local.
Kipchoge Keino Stadium is expected to be the venue for the Mashujaa Day. The stadium has been under construction whose works are expected to be complete before the celebrations.
