WAJIR– Former 2022 Wajir County gubernatorial candidate and Chairperson of Capital Market Authority Ugas Sheikh Mohamed has described the newly unveiled Ahmed Khalif Stadium as more than a sporting venue, calling it a powerful symbol of hope and historical redress for the long-marginalized people of North Eastern Kenya.
In an emotional statement issued after touring the magnificent facility, Mohamed reflected on his personal journey and the region’s painful past. “Some places are built with bricks and steel. Others are built with dreams that generations refused to surrender,” he said.
Walking through the stadium’s stands, Mohamed recalled growing up in a region plagued by neglect, where opportunities were scarce, hospitals and schools were few, and hope often struggled against harsh circumstances.
“The sting of marginalization was real,” he noted. Yet a turning point came when a sitting President publicly acknowledged past injustices and apologized for decades of deliberate neglect. Mohamed said he watched that moment with tears, not of bitterness, but of validation for an entire generation.
“This stadium is more than a venue for football,” he declared. “It is a declaration that forgotten places can become places of promise. It is proof that history is not always a chain that binds us—it can also be a door that opens.”
The Ahmed Khalif Stadium, named after a prominent local figure, is expected to host major football matches, community events, and youth programs, providing a world-class platform in a region that has historically lagged in infrastructure development.
Mohamed emphasized the stadium’s deeper significance for the younger generation. “As the wind swept across these stands today, I couldn’t help but think of the countless boys and girls who will grow up believing that they belong, that they matter, and that their dreams deserve a stage as grand as this.”
He concluded that North Eastern Kenya has waited long for such moments. “And perhaps, just perhaps, this is what the dawn of a new era looks like.”
Residents have welcomed the facility, with many expressing optimism that it will boost local talent in sports and create economic opportunities through events and tourism.
