FOOTBALL "THE FORGOTTEN SPORT" IN KENYA

The reality about the state of  football in our country is just painful more so to us fans of the game, considering is the most popular sport in Kenya tho our National team has not made that much of an impact in the International stage,like our rugby and athletics brothers.

Benson Omalla of Gor Mahia in action against Musa Oundo of AFC Leopards during Mashemeji derby (Nyayo stadium)

Unless we have forgotten what football does to the society let me remind us ;It brings interaction and Unity amongst communities that is why we even have some big football clubs associated with some communities likes of ;

Shabana F. C(Gusii)

Gor Mahia F. C(Luo)

AFC Leopards (Luhya),

Football creates employment among the citizens , both the youths and the elderly , it improves our relation with other countries across the world when we play International matches , it attracts visitors to our country hence elevating our tourism sector, it helps us export our talented players to other advanced leagues in the world and It helps us develop as a country in all aspects .

So the question is how can all of the above be achieved ?Why is it that we can't do that ? Where is the problem ? What need to be done ? All the questions have solutions of course and now let's take a look at some of them.

1.The problems 

The problem is us as a country starting all the way from. The national government under the ministry of sports and culture , the football Kenya federation, The Media and Sports Journalist in general , football boards and our club managements .I have learnt  that the fans and sponsors are never the problem.

Imagine a whole country Kenya we don't have FIFA standard stadiums not even one currently in short we can't host International matches , the government has failed already as a country we need to have at least two FIFA approved standard stadiums . Do you guys know a single stadium can employ how many people to maintain it ?It is not like we do not have the money the government allocates money to the ministry of sports in every financial year budget  and we receive money from FIFA also since we are a member to develop  our football ,and the question is where does the money go?

That is where the big problem is lack of accountability on how the money is being  used no matter the amount allocated our leaders should be able to explain , but in Kenya my motherland corruption everywhere people steal shamelessly and can't even explain just saying words with no evidence ,I don't know yet but am sure the amount looted from football in recent years can be able to  build a whole good  Stadium.

Vihiga Queens celebrating their 22/23 title after they were crowned Champions 

Football is more than an entertainment like the good old days, right now football is a full-time business is an industry of it's own it can generate more tax than any other industry .I believe football alone when invested well can grow our economy .The Media our journalist are more focused with the international leagues and matches why because our football is  trash we don't have even space to talk about our game for 2-3 hours without talking about European clubs . Greedy people managing our clubs that is why we don't even have sponsors in many clubs hence clubs struggling to pay their players and even coaches ,because most of the leaders use the sponsorship money how they feel like and can't even account for the money hence sponsors running away . We are watching us destroy our own popular and best game , right now if you walk in the streets and happen to chat with some "soccer "fans  just ask them to name Gor Mahia squad and Manchester United squad players you will see ?Am sure 90 % will not name more than 5 Gor players ,like our football is literally down look at our neighbors league and you pity us, Tanzania is really doing good just had the look at their" ligi kuu "and  the organization of the league the prize money, all teams played every match,the coverage of the matches , derbys like "Kariokor derby" featuring   Yanga and Simba  making crazy money from ticket sales, their teams  performance in the continental games is just Amazing and you can tell they have developed their football fast  . Fans are not in the  stadiums like they used to be  even in the known "mashemeji derby " involving Gor Mahia and Leopards can't  fill a stadium half way so bad. We have so many problem hindering  growth of our Football we just can't state all of them  . Let us have a look of what we can do to improve our football to be at least somewhere . Kenya has the most and best talented footballers in Africa believe me  those who have watched games in the "mtaani"  can tell you pure ballers . 

2.Solutions

First things first let us Remove all the leaders in the offices ,if they are just there to steal from innocent talents and not ready to develop these game there just there for their greedy stomachs,we should elect leaders who know the game understand it and know that these is not just for entertainment purposes ,but is a whole football industry ,a source of livelihood for a thousand families .Leaders who view it us more than a mere sport. Leaders with vision so first change the leadership and vote those who should be able to explain with evidence how the available resources are used and also we need to  amend some laws and put dire consequences for corrupt leaders.

We need to have at least two FIFA standard stadiums for football and  football only not any other sport we can also develop some stadiums likes of ;

Gusii Stadium, Moi Kisumu,Ruaraka ,Afraha ,city stadium, Kericho Green , Bukhungu , Sudi, Mumias Complex, Awendo and many more good stadiums to avoid playing four matches in one stadium in weekends , plus also being able to play some matches at night and avoid playing midweek matches in the afternoon . The Stadiums need to be maintained too hence providing job opportunities to youths and fans of the game. What happened to Dandora Stadium by the way ?We don't need many stadiums we just need to maintain the small number we have , more so the playing surface. 

We need to be able to attract  different sponsor from very different sectors likes of ;

Safaricom, Cocacola,SPORTPESA, Equity, K.C.B,Chandaria Industries, Kenya Airways , Bonfire Adventures , 1xbet ,betika, mozzart , bet 365 and many other companies who am sure will be interested to invest in the sport ,once we make it lively again and we can be able to assure them of making their companies benefit more and grow more and make extra profits by sponsoring our leagues all the way from FKF division one to National Super League and Kenyan Premier League   and our local  teams  am sure when we make our football better they will all be interested .

A Tusker F.C fan watching game from the stands as they played Gor Mahia (Nyayo stadium)

We also need to be able to stream our league matches, more so the main league, and important and big matches with fans in (N.S.L) and division one  and also the Women's League,  these will help us attract players from outside in other  countries as well as market our talented players to other big leagues across the world , we need big media companies to be able to stream these games 

The transition from junior academy to senior academy to youth teams and senior teams should be smooth ..., look at Senegal In a few years their football will be excellent their transition is just woow they won five major continental trophies CHAN, AFCON ,BEACH SOCCER ,UNDER 23 and UNDER17  tournaments all in a span of less than 12 months . For the transition to be smooth we need to put good strategy in place by deploying FIFA trained officials and coaches to different academies across the country .

Another thing is to improve training of our match officials since we don't have the technology to help in officiating we need to train them well to avoid unnecessary dramas because of the descions they make on the pitch.

All of the above apply to both men and women football.

There are many things to be done but I think the above are the basics we need to do  first of all if we can do these then we will be somewhere and our National team results will Improve . We are big in Africa is only that we talk more politics in our sport ,yet we have the best talents that only need recognition to explode and make our Motherland Kenya ,our Continent Africa proud and the World in general . 

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Writer :(Dancan Oluoch Mboya)

Email ; dancanmb49@gmail.com

Phone no;0112018554(Whatsapp)