Government, media, public to blame for Kenya’s football woes

Football is a simple game that Kenyans have perfected in complicating it. The problem is that those who are complicating it have no stake in the game. They can live without football.

Our women’s national team was denied the opportunity to play at the African Women’s Cup of Nations and battle for a Fifa World Cup spot. Our men’s team will not participate in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

It may seem a small matter to others but the truth is our women players have the talent and skill to play at the highest level. If Jentrix Shikangwa was to play at the World Cup there is no way the football world would not stop and take notice. No way.

Two years are a long time in a footballer’s life. By the time the next Afcon qualifiers comes around Michael Olunga will be in his 30s. The suspension is affecting a generation of players. So who are these people denying Kenya the right to play? There are the three culprits -- the Government, the media and the general public.

Nick Mwendwa famously claimed that Amina Mohamed asked him what a corner was during a football match. Few will admit it, but it is entirely probable that before she was appointed Sports CS, Amina had never watched a football match in her life.

Given what is happening to football under her watch one must wonder whether that past is hindering her performance?

Did she really imagine there was a way for Kenya to participate in international football with the government in charge?

The CS says she is putting Kenya’s house in order but the only way to do that is to work with Fifa.

The world football governing body has made it clear that they will not condone her takeover of the game in Kenya. The CS wanted Mwendwa out. She got her wish but alas it appears that was not the aim. The devil is in the half a billion shillings’ budget that was reported to be for the Caretaker Committee. Who knows how much for the Transitional Committee?

Is a new FKF constitution worth Sh500 million? Is it worth putting our national teams out in the cold? The government constituted committees claim they are running FKF operations but they are only managing the elite leagues. They are not training coaches, developing young players, training administrators and referees.

Truth be told, the committee itself is the one that needs training.

I also accuse the press for our football woes. Mwendwa’s arrest was headline news, every purported scandal wholly dissected, but no journalist appeared brave enough to question the government or hold it accountable for its activities in football. What does “putting our house in order” look like’? Football needs to be told the truth.

Finally, the general public has let down our football.  Many have averred that Kenya should be banned for as long as it takes because even if we qualified for Afcon we would not go far in the finals.

This is a sad view because sport is not primarily about winning, it is about participating.

There are millions of young players scattered around this country dreaming of making it in football, even if that means playing in the Kenyan Premier League, the Women’s Premier League and the national teams. They have a right to these dreams.

Kimaru is the former FKF Communications Director