Thika road field, where lovers, worshippers and goats have learned to coexist

An expansive field along Thika Superhighway is attracting preachers and fun-lovers in droves.

The undeveloped field sits between Kenyatta University and Clayworks, and serves a cocktail of functions; from prayer ground to a relaxation spot.

The spot is frequented by both the young and the old, with traffic hitting a crescendo old on the weekends. 

It is not uncommon to find people – openly kneeling on the ‘holy’ ground and offering their prayers to God. A few can be heard shouting their prayers, while others whisper them, choosing to keep their interactions with God personal.

Many even brave the weather to beseech the Maker for hours; speaking in tongues, kneeling or pacing up and down the land.

Then there are those people, mostly couples, who come to the ground to pass time, enjoy the breeze, and exchange saliva – in public.

Some of the visitors prefer sitting under the few trees dotting the field, or inside their cars to enjoy private moments.

It’s a spot where everyone seems to mind their own business, it’s more of an unwritten rule.

Others come here to booze – and enjoy the relative quiet.

Wananchi Reporting spoke to Josephine Waruino shortly after she took a break from praying under the scorching sun.

“I travelled all the way from Juja just to come here and pray. Since last year, I come once on weekdays and spend over six hours. The field is calm and no entry charges,” said Waruino.

“Believers are drawn from all churches and denominations, and sometimes we join hands to worship even with people we have met here,” said the mother of three.

Unlike Waruino, Martin Kairu and his friends come here to just chill -- inside their cars.

 “We started coming here back in 2016, and were among the first people to hang out here. Now it’s like a park. It is a good place to rest, instead of going to a bar. We come here to discuss our issues,” Kairu said.

Adding, “I have encountered many depressed people here, and once you chat with them, you lighten them up. Many you find are at that point where they wouldn’t hesitate to harm themselves because of life hardships. I believe they change their mind and soldier on”.

We catch up with David Musasa strolling while enjoying music from his phone. He stays at a nearby estate. 

“I come here to just sit and think, and reflect on my life.

Students too love to come to the spot; its serene environment is conducive for studying.

Visitors here have learned to share the field with unaccompanied goats, which move around nibbing at every bit of grass, and seemingly oblivious of what humanity is doing.