Nyeri: For 37-year-old Alex Munyiri, the future of basketball in Kenya is not only about discovering talent; it is about building spaces where that talent can thrive and doing so in a way that is eco-friendly. He harbours an ambitious vision of constructing a basketball arena using plastic waste and old tires and roofing it with ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).
According to Kenya News Agency, the proposed facility will also incorporate the use of solar energy and rainwater harvesting systems, creating what Munyiri hopes will be one of the most environmentally sustainable sports facilities in the world. ‘We want to use pollution to construct sports infrastructure that is environmentally friendly. My hope is that a facility constructed using waste material in Kenya can compete with other stadiums that have employed an environmentally friendly approach in their construction,’ Munyiri says.
This idea is rooted in both his lifelong love for basketball and his frustration with the lack of proper sporting infr
astructure in the country. He reckons that although much has been done to develop the sport in Kenya, many basketball courts do not meet the threshold stipulated in International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules. Munyiri argues that Kenya has often invested in outdoor basketball facilities without addressing the gap in the sport itself.
Despite the introduction of the game in Kenya in 1960 at Mang’u High School, Munyiri believes the lack of infrastructure and proper equipment remains a significant issue. His own basketball journey began in 1998, when he started playing under the guidance of a missionary coach, Greg Feltre. His passion for the sport led him to become a referee with the Kenya Basketball Federation’s (KBF) refereeing structures, and he later attracted international attention from the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Instead of pursuing opportunities abroad, Munyiri chose to focus on the development of basketball facilities in Kenya. By 2020, he was coaching the national deaf basketball
team and a deaf team from Nyeri. His efforts revealed that the real problem was not the lack of talent, but the lack of adequate infrastructure. This realization led him to seek support from the government, but initial proposals to renovate existing facilities were turned down.
Undeterred, Munyiri conceived the idea of constructing a community-driven arena made largely from waste material. His innovative design includes using plastic waste for seats and flooring and repurposed tires for terraces. The facility will also employ a translucent ETFE roof and incorporate renewable energy sources like solar panels, along with rainwater harvesting systems.
Munyiri’s vision extends beyond just building a basketball court. He sees the project as a way to address environmental issues and create employment opportunities through waste collection and recycling. His approach involves community involvement, with volunteers and local residents contributing materials and labor. While the project has already generated interes
t, Munyiri continues to seek partners and land to bring his vision to life, all with the aim of providing Kenyan basketball players with the facilities they need to excel.
