How Muthurwa’s Dallas hall survived demolition to continue churning out great talent
By Charles.Thuku, March 6, 2023Were it not for quick-witted Muthurwa Community residents and well-wishing politicians former Nairobi Mayor, the late Dick Mwangi Wathikka and Minister for Local Government Musikari Kombo, Muthurwa Social Hall would have demolished to be part of the rehabilitated Muthurwa Market.
Never mind that the Hall, nicknamed Dallas after the fourth largest City in the USA, has been the epicenter of some of the country’s greatest amateur boxers who would then turn out for the national team, Hit Squad.
In the 2006/7 election campaign, politicians visited Muthurwa for the groundbreaking ceremony of the proposed market. Community representatives petitioned President Mwai Kibaki to spare the historic Muthurwa Dallas Social Hall. The request was made to the president by then Mayor of Nairobi Dick Wathika and reinforced by then Minister for Local Government Musikali Kombo
Relocation
It can be recalled that in 2006 the government and the City Council of Nairobi (which has since been renamed Nairobi County) were faced with a problem of relocating thousands of small-scale traders operating within Nairobi Central Business District.
That was the period when the government allocated Sh800 Million from the national budget for construction of a major market with Muthurwa in mind given that it was convenient in that traders would cash in on the large market base within the CBD.
The most convenient area that could accommodate this populace was Muthurwa estate on Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) land.
Ultimately, it was the boxers and other sportsmen and women who would suffer but efforts by Wathika and Musikari Kombo to prevail upon Mwai KIbaki, who was then President, bore fruit with the facility remaining intact and was improved with application of a fresh coat of paint.
Before the proposed demolition, the outside walls were discolored while window panes were broken with the facility mostly being used as a hide-out for criminals.
Charles Mukula, a long serving coach at the facility, said it was good riddance that Dallas was not transformed into part of the market since it has not only been able to keep its candle aglow as the venue of upcoming boxers to hone their skills, but has also accommodated street urchins to work-out thus keeping them off social vices like drug abuse and theft.
Basic skills
During a visit by the People Daily team at the facility, Mukula was busy instilling basic boxing skills to street kids who would ordinarily be sniffing glue and smoking bhang.
“These kids come here in droves to learn boxing for free. Who knows, they could be future stars in the game and I must say I’m nor regretting and will never regret what I’m doing,” said Mukula who also handles boxers from the neighboring Landi Mawe.
“Boxing keeps these young people out of trouble. “By the time they are done training, they just go home, eat and sleep.”
Besides being used as a training venue for boxers, Dallas is the prayer venue for Eden Gospel Trumpet Ministry.