In Nairobi’s fast growing skate culture, one name continues to spark attention and momentum. Abuga Aroni, a semi-pro downhill skateboarder and founder of Downhill254, has become a key driver in the rise of gravity sports in Kenya. His recent recognition as a Silver Winner in the SportPesa Tujiamini Nairobi Edition 2025, where he received KES 100,000, has added new fuel to his mission of building a community that skates harder, pushes boundaries, and discovers the power of self-belief.
Abuga grew up surrounded by cultures, experiences, and opportunities that shaped his sense of courage. He credits this exposure for giving him the confidence to take risks and follow an unconventional path. He also shares something many do not know about him. “I have ADHD. It is ninety percent of the reason I am doing what I am doing today,” he says. Instead of slowing him down, it pushed him to explore movement, speed, and creativity in ways that eventually led him to downhill skateboarding.
His project focuses on growing the local gravity sports community by helping skaters access better hills, better safety equipment, and more visibility through content creation. Before he began this push, most skaters in Kenya were limited to the same familiar spots. Since then, the community has seen increased attention online, upgraded safety gear, and improved ability. They have even achieved a major milestone, with one of the skaters hitting 100 kilometres per hour on a downhill run. “It seems simple, but making that moment happen requires planning, equipment, and the right hill. We could only have pulled it off with the support of Tujiamini,” Abuga explains.
When he first heard about SportPesa’s Tujiamini Awards, he applied without expectation. Winning, he says, felt unreal. “It meant someone out there had faith and believed in what I am doing.” He used the award money to enhance safety for the group using walkie talkies, fix and upgrade gear, cover shipping for equipment imported from abroad, and subsidise travel so that the group could reach Kenya’s best hills for training. Ten skaters have directly benefited so far, with each gaining opportunities to skate harder, improve their skills, and achieve personal bests. Without the award, Abuga believes the community would still be skating the same old locations, unable to push new limits.
His journey has been shaped by powerful emotional moments. Being hit by a boda while skating and then trolled online made him question himself, yet it strengthened his resolve. Equally unforgettable were the inspiring moments, such as when a sixty year old man told him he inspired him to start skating, and when a stranger from the United States flew into Kenya to skate with him for ten days. “Those moments stay with you,” he says.
Looking ahead, Abuga wants to continue building the movement. His goals are clear. Keep skating, keep finding new hills, keep pushing boundaries, and eventually compete or even host international level downhill events. He hopes his story inspires others to believe in themselves and take their first step. “Give it a try. You never know how it will go,” he says.
For Abuga and his community, SportPesa’s Tujiamini has done more than provide financial support. It has given validation, belief, and the spark to accelerate a movement that once seemed impossible. “It means hope for me and my community, because that is what Tujiamini gave us.”
On his favourite hill, standing with his pro model board and looking out over the horizon, Abuga knows he is only getting started. The gravity that pulls him down the hill is the same gravity pushing him forward, showing Kenya and the world that passion, opportunity, and belief can turn a simple skateboard into a pathway for change.