Plans to establish a football viewing hall along Drive 18, Kangawa Road, Oloolua Ward, Kajiado North have sparked debate among residents, with some supporting the proposal while others have raised concerns about security, public participation and possible social impacts.
Mr Kennedy Odongo wrote to the local Nyumba Kumi committee on 18 April 2026, seeking permission to establish the facility. In his letter, Odongo stated that the proposed hall would be used strictly for watching football matches. He said the facility would provide local youth and residents with a convenient and safe place to watch football without having to travel long distances to other viewing centres. According to Odongo, the premises would remain closed after matches to help maintain peace and order in the neighbourhood.
However, some residents have opposed the proposal, citing concerns over insecurity, idleness and other anti-social behaviour that they fear could arise around the facility. Others have questioned whether adequate public participation involving immediate neighbours was conducted before the proposal was made.
A resident of Kangawa, however, supported the proposed facility, arguing that the area could benefit from businesses and recreational facilities. “The resident said Kangawa would struggle to develop if residents continued opposing initiatives they considered beneficial to the community.” The resident said
Incase, the business gets a thumbs up from the residents, the proposed facility would be required to comply with applicable county and national licensing requirements before commencing operations.
According to the Kajiado County Finance Bill 2026, there is currently no specific category listed as a “football viewing hall.” Such a business may therefore fall under the applicable category for video show or entertainment facilities, depending on how the county classifies the premises.
The Finance Bill lists charges for video-show facilities. A large video-show facility with more than 100 seats attracts a fee of KSh30,000 in Zone A and KSh15,000 in Zone B, while a small video-show facility attracts KSh5,000 in Zone A and KSh3,000 in Zone B.
The operator would also be expected to meet relevant public health and fire safety requirements, including adequate ventilation, emergency exits and sanitation facilities, before obtaining the necessary clearance and inspection certificates.
At the national level, facilities exhibiting films or other regulated audiovisual content may also be subject to requirements administered by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) under the Films and Stage Plays Act. Where copyrighted music is played as part of the audiovisual content, the operator may also need the appropriate copyright licence from the relevant collective management organisation.
Members of the public can raise objections or concerns about proposed entertainment facilities where they believe the development could create security problems, excessive noise, environmental concerns, general nuisance or expose children to inappropriate content.
Such concerns can be presented to the relevant county authorities and other regulatory bodies during the applicable approval and public participation processes.
The debate in Kangawa now centres on whether the proposed football viewing hall can provide a useful recreational space for residents while addressing the concerns raised by neighbours over security, licensing and the character of the neighbourhood.
