Roysambu MP, Githurai MCA Enter A Landmark Deal to Return PEFA Sports Ground to Community

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Roysambu MP, Githurai MCA Announce Historic Return of PEFA Sports Ground to Community

   The long-running dispute over the PEFA Sports Ground in Githurai has taken a major step towards resolution after Roysambu MP and Githurai MCA Mwangi announced that PEFA Church has officially agreed to surrender the disputed football ground to the community.

  The announcement follows demonstrations held on Sunday after residents and youth protested plans by the church to fence off the playground, a move that would have denied the public access to one of Githurai's few remaining recreational spaces. Following the protests, local leaders initiated negotiations with the church in a bid to find an amicable solution and avert further demonstrations.

Speaking after the agreement was reached, the Roysambu MP kamande Mwafrika

said he engaged the leadership of PEFA Church after learning that the church had purchased the land for KSh 1.3 million nearly 20 years ago.

"I told the church leadership that I was ready to mobilize resources to refund the KSh 1.3 million they paid for the land so that it could be returned to the people of Githurai. We have now reached an agreement and signed all the necessary documents. The matter will proceed to court to formalize the transfer, but from today the ground belongs to the people of Githurai," he said.

The MP confirmed that PEFA Church has signed a handover certificate surrendering the disputed land to the area's leadership pending the completion of the court process. He added that the agreement will enable the land to revert to public ownership and continue serving as a sports and recreational facility for residents.

He further revealed that his office is pursuing several court cases aimed at recovering other public land allegedly grabbed by private individuals within Roysambu Constituency. According to the MP, the recovered land will be used to construct primary and secondary schools and other public facilities to serve the area's rapidly growing population.

Githurai MCA Mwangi described the agreement as a historic achievement, saying it brings to an end a dispute that has persisted since 2001 and had previously resulted in protests, arrests and violent confrontations.

"Today is a day of great joy because we have made history. This is a playground over which people have demonstrated, some were shot, others arrested, and the dispute has existed for more than two decades. Leadership is about bringing people together, and today we have achieved peace through dialogue," he said.

The MCA revealed that after Sunday's demonstrations, residents had planned to stage protests every Sunday until the matter was resolved. However, he said leaders opted for dialogue, holding seven meetings with PEFA Church before reaching the final agreement.

"As the MCA for Githurai, I believed the issue could be solved through discussion. Together with the Roysambu MP, we held several meetings with the church leadership until we reached today's agreement," he said.

Mwangi displayed the signed agreement, saying it had been executed by lawyers representing both PEFA Church and the community, in addition to the Roysambu MP and himself. The documents will now be filed in court to facilitate the legal transfer of the property.

He said the church has officially surrendered the football ground to the community, allowing it to revert to Kiambu County as public land for community use.

The MCA commended PEFA Church for accepting to be refunded only the original purchase price of KSh 1.3 million, despite having owned the land since 2001.

"They did not demand compensation based on today's market value or ask to recover the legal costs they have incurred over the years. For the sake of peace, they agreed to accept only the amount they originally paid," he said.

He also praised Githurai youth for conducting peaceful demonstrations, saying their discipline demonstrated that residents are committed to maintaining peace while defending public resources.

Mwangi disclosed that the County Government has expressed its intention to upgrade the sports ground into a modern recreational facility once the legal process is concluded. He also announced plans to safeguard other public spaces in Githurai, including playgrounds, open spaces and land reserved for public institutions, to ensure they remain available for community use.

According to the MCA, the section surrendered by PEFA Church measures approximately 100 by 100 feet and is the portion for which the church had previously been issued a title deed.