What next for our beloved, suffering Kenyan football?

The outbound football caretaker committee had a head full of dreams this week when they made public the contents of a report to mark the end of their six-month tenure at the helm of local football.

Some of the interventions are well-meaning, but to no surprise, others are just gimmicks, such as the proposal to have the next custodians of Kenyan football install artificial intelligence cameras in stadiums and employ analytics experts.

It was during the presentation of this document that Sports Cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed vented out on an inquisitive journalist saying, “I will not discuss any engagements I have with Fifa.  Don’t ask me any questions about Fifa. Anyone who wants to know our engagements with Fifa can call their offices.”

Which is to say: “I am sick of you inconsiderate folks asking this same question whose answer I don’t have.”

Now, the sound and sight of Amina losing her cool in public is indeed painful. Here is a career diplomat, a high-ranking government official who exudes immense grace both in her speech and demeanour, lashing out in frustration when asked about the future of Kenyan football.

It was an elaborate display of the magnitude of frustration the CS could be enduring, but it was certainly not as frustrating as the fact that local football is in the doldrums. Fortunately, the problem will no longer be hers come August 9, which is 90 short days away.

Although well written, upon scratching the surface, one finds that the achievements owned by the committee are precisely the opposite. After their victory parade, the team's chairman Retired Justice Aaron Ringer gave the team an 85 per cent score, which should really have been 58 per cent or lower.

Why? Their key mandate, which had been to deliver credible elections in accordance with the law, is yet to be tackled, and they did a terrible job of overseeing the smooth running of football activities in the country. What with the national teams staying largely dormant during their tenure?

But, the big question on some lips is: What is the future of the game? By failing to give direction regarding the leadership of local football, have the good fellows at Kencom house made a strategic miscalculation, which could effectively steer former FKF office holders up the ladder towards a Kandanda House recapture?

The Tuesday report made numerous reference to “FKF,” which as far as we know remains banned and barred from all matters Kenyan football, so read into that what you may.

Just bear in mind that according to the grapevine, some of the villains are set to return to the scene as executioners.

For some of us, this entire mushrooming mellow drama is like watching an on-off-on-off-Bollywood production that involves three weak characters who play all the parts.

I can’t help feeling that players, referees and others who depend solely on local football are having sad monologues in the bathroom while preparing to attend their last training sessions of the season, and wondering how on earth their careers are ever to take off if this state of affairs persists.

Thank heavens for our athletes then, who are out there bagging medals and living victorious lives for the rest of us.

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