As the clash of titans between Nairobi City Thunder and KPA Dockers reached its climax in the final match of the Kenyan Basketball National League Series, a sinister operation was underway in the parking area of the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
Nairobi City Thunder eventually won, completing a three-peat in the national basketball league, sending their supporters into celebration after watching their team once again lift the coveted title.
But for one jubilant Thunder supporter, the celebrations ended abruptly when she walked back to the parking lot.
Her car had been vandalised and parts of it stolen, while another motorist discovered that his vehicle had vanished.
Ater Majok of Nairobi City Thunder goes for a basket against Namuwongo Blazers during the Road to Basketball Africa League (BAL) Elite 16 East Division match at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on November 18, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The woman, who asked that her name be withheld, had gone to Kasarani to watch the match, confident that her vehicle would be safe within the sprawling sports complex.
She was familiar with the venue, having attended many games there before, and knew that a police station was located within the stadium precincts.
The match was scheduled for 8.30pm, but she arrived at about 8pm to settle in before tip-off.
A man wearing an orange reflector jacket directed her to a parking spot about 50 metres from the Kasarani Sports Centre police station.
She parked and proceeded to the VIP section to watch the game. For the next two hours, her attention was on the court and the battle between Thunder and KPA Dockers.
But as she walked back to her car at about 10.30 pm, the mood of triumph quickly turned into disbelief.
She noticed wires hanging from the dashboard. The radio was gone, and the car's ignition had also been removed. This was not an ordinary break-in, as there were no obvious signs that the vehicle had been forced open, she said.
She got into the driver's seat and attempted to start the vehicle, only to discover that the entire ignition system had been removed.
“I wanted to drive off and even sat in the car. That is when I wanted to start my car and found the entire ignition had been stolen,” she said.
Her car was among those targeted that night. Before she could fully process what had happened, another motorist approached with his friends and complained that his vehicle was missing.
Kasarani Police Station.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
They went to the nearby police station, where an Occurrence Book report was made before two officers accompanied them back to the parking lot.
At one point, an officer reportedly exclaimed: “So this issue is back.”
For the victim, that was perhaps the most disturbing part of the experience.
She could understand criminals targeting cars in poorly guarded parking areas, but could not understand how vehicles could be vandalised or stolen barely 50 metres from a police station within one of Nairobi's major sporting complexes.
She said motorists who reported the incidents were subjected to numerous questions, leaving them feeling that the seriousness of what had happened was not immediately appreciated.
Nairobi City Thunder's Ater Majok goes for a basket infront Johannesburg Giants' Liam Markduring the East Africa Champions Clubs Road to Basketball Africa League qualifiers at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Gymnasium, on November 23, 2025
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Her vehicle is a Toyota IST model, while the stolen one was a Toyota Caldina.
Her vehicle was spared from being driven away because it had a cut-out which prevented the thieves from completing the operation.
The incident has renewed concerns over vehicle theft and vandalism at Kasarani and other sporting venues, with motorists repeatedly sharing similar experiences on social media.
In December 2024, the Mechanics Association of Kenya posted on social media about another vehicle theft at the sports complex.
“This Toyota FIELDER was stolen in the parking area today at the KASARANI sports Complex during the KMTC graduation,” the association said in the post.
Such reports have continued to surface online, raising questions about the security of vehicles belonging to people attending sporting events, graduations and other large gatherings.
The latest incident has also exposed what appears to be a communication gap between sporting organisers, stadium management and security agencies.
The victim said some police officers told them that security planning during football matches was generally more elaborate because officers are promptly notified and preparations are made.
For other sporting events, however, she said officers indicated that they were not always adequately informed.
The concerns come as Kenya prepares to host increasingly high-profile international sporting competitions, including next year’s African Cup of Nations.
The victim questioned whether the country was adequately prepared to host major events if motorists attending games could have their vehicles stripped or stolen within a secured sporting complex.
“Are we really ready to host the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (2027) and the World Championships (2029)?” she said.
She also questioned what could happen if a motorist happened to encounter thieves while they were dismantling a vehicle.
“What if you stumble upon the thugs rummaging through your car? Won’t they hurt or even kill you?” she asked.
The Kenya Basketball Federation, however, said it did not receive any report of theft or vandalism arising from the match.
James Amoko, the federation's Competitions and Fixtures Secretary, said the federation normally notifies police and stadium management whenever it schedules a fixture at major venues such as Kasarani or Nyayo.
“We did not receive any report of any incident of theft or vandalism of cars,” Mr Amoko said, adding,
“I booked for the Arena, where the game was played inside the stadium, and there was no incident in there. What happened outside (parking area) is not within our purview. That is for the security agencies,” he said.
The police, however, said they are aware of vehicle thefts linked to the Kasarani area and have previously recovered stolen vehicles.
Kasarani Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer Aloyce Mboya said sporting organisers normally send a notification letter to police, after which officers conduct routine patrols within the stadium.
“We usually do patrols, but there are private guards who are contracted by the stadium to ensure that no item is stolen and should they find something, they report to us, and we commence our investigations,” Mr Mboya said.
“Also, whenever a complainant raises an issue with us directly, we handle it with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
Two weeks ago, the police had recovered a Toyota Ractis in Mombasa that had been stolen at Kasarani and was being modified to conceal its identity.
He said the vehicle had been used as an Uber before it was stolen, and police traced it to Mombasa and made arrests.
“We are doing something. When we have leads, we follow, and when there are no leads, we continue with the investigations,” he said.
Some stolen vehicles, he said, are quickly fitted with different number plates, making them harder to trace.
