Mombasa county needs to do more to grow football
FC Talanta midfielder Alex Lughanji (left) vies with Bandari midfielder Whyvonne Isuza during their pre-season friendly at Public Service grounds in Nairobi on August 20, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Bandari can not only help develop talents, it will also ensure that the region is well represented on the national and international scene.
- Since the club has a large following on social media, it is also best placed to be a good tourism ambassador. You can only imagine the doors of opportunity and benefits that this will bring.
Sports, and specifically football, has some of the least developed structures in Mombasa County.
Despite the region being endowed with talent, the county government has done little to promote football.
Mombasa County is strategically located, and should have been the most successful region in football on the East African Coastal strip.
In years gone by, the county was one of the key suppliers of talent. Some of the big names that made it to the national team include legends like Mohammed Abbas, and Mohammed "Tostao" Nazir.
But with time, football development and infrastructural development have been on the decline.
Playing grounds in Mombasa have been disappearing, and beach football almost non-existent. Besides Bandari FC, there has been no notable team from Mombasa in the top-flight league.
Talent promotion
The county government should join hands with sports stakeholders to promote football talent.
The Kenya Ports Authority, the sponsor of Bandari FC, has been at the heart of championing talent promotion and sports development in the Coastal region.
Bandari, which has programmes such as football clinics and tournaments, has one of the most decorated youth academies in the Coast region.
But make no mistake, KPA and Bandari cannot shoulder this alone, they need the help of the county government and other football actors to achieve maximum potential.
Mombasa residents have elected a new governor, and now is the perfect time to join hands and revive football standards.
KPA and Bandari have outlined a plan that needs to implemented. The possibilities are endless if we work together for the greater good of the sport.
Bandari is looking to win their maiden Football Kenya Federation Premier title, and they have what it takes.
Football is a unifying factor in Mombasa, and Bandari are the region’s biggest ambassadors.
Bandari can not only help develop talents, it will also ensure that the region is well represented on the national and international scene.
Since the club has a large following on social media, it is also best placed to be a good tourism ambassador. You can only imagine the doors of opportunity and benefits that this will bring.
