The rhythmic thud of the axe striking a tree stump echoes across the serene Kimalel neighbourhood of Eldoret as Patrick Namai struggles to split logs into sizeable pieces of firewood.
He occasionally pauses to wipe beads of sweat forming below his eyebrows before re-embarking on his mission, swinging the axe even more vigorously.
“This is the third tree stump I am working on. I have just finished uprooting two and reducing them to the pieces that are drying over there,” Namai says as he welcomes us into a typical day in his life.
The former Harambee Stars defender, who once shared pitches with world-class players, exited the football scene 30 years ago and has struggled to make ends meet in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Despite having shared a field with Paolo Maldini, an Italian football legend who played for clubs like AC Milan, Namai now burns and sells charcoal in Langas estate on the outskirts of Eldoret.
“It is not easy. Even these stumps I am uprooting to make charcoal do not belong to me. Somebody called me to come do the task for him for a fee,” the former international footballer tells the Sunday Nation.
Born in Makongeni estate, Nairobi, in 1966, Namai’s football skills were honed during his days at Union Primary School in Eldoret.
That was after his father Naftali Gadi Namai, now deceased, was transferred to Eldoret as a Kenya Railways Corporation employee.
“I developed an interest in football while in Standard Five. I played for the Union Primary School team up to national level,” he tells the Sunday Nation.
He would later join Kapsoya Primary School, where he sat his Certificate of Primary Examination in 1983, scoring 32 points out of a possible 36.
His talent was nurtured and polished by legendary coach, Chris Makokha, while at Kakamega High School. Makokha is also deceased.
Namai made it to the Under-21 National Junior Football team and was part of the squad that played in Italy and Zambia in 1986 and 1987, respectively.
“I cannot remember the name of that tournament, but Kenya played against other countries. It was not a friendly match,” Namai recalls.
He nostalgically remembers the goal he scored as a captain through a penalty that earned his team victory in Zambia.
“By that time, my coach was blind but he celebrated Kenya’s victory. Mike Okoth, who is now based in Belgium, was our goalkeeper then,” Namai says chuckling.
After a 0-0 draw in the final, Kenya beat Zambia 5-4 in penalty shootouts.
The match, he says, was played at Nkana stadium in Kitwe.
“It was while in Italy that I shared a field with big names such like Maldini. He gave me a T-shirt after the game because he liked my style of play. I played position 5,” Namai says.
For the six years that Namai played for Kakamega High School, he says, the team won all the national secondary school football tournaments, except when they were beaten by Musingu High School at Bukhungu stadium in 1985.
“Musingu beat us 2-1 in that game. It was devastating,” he recalls.
Namai still has the T-shirt he was given by Maldini in 1986. He says it is a memento only worn on special occasions.
Despite securing admission to Maseno University after his A-level, Namai opted to play for Rivatex FC in Eldoret where he had been hired in the accounts department.
After a brief stint at Rivatex, he moved to Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), Eldoret, where he worked and played for the team from 1992 to 1998 when the company went under.
“In 1994, KCC beat AFC Leopards 3-1 in the Moi Golden Cup tournament,” he recalls.
Namai played alongside Peter Kihamba, Tom Arero, Ken Abundo, Mark Sirengo and many others at KCC.
He retired from football in 1996. He says his manager at the KCC asked him to choose between work and football when he returned to Eldoret after being away in Mombasa for a week.
“I chose work. That is what made me stop playing football,” he says.
Namai adds that back then, football was not as well-paying as is the case now.
Most players used football to secure jobs with well-paying companies like Mumias Sugar, Rivatex, KCC, Kenya Breweries, Kenya Ports Authority, government ministries and others.
“My aim was to get employed on permanent and pensionable terms at KCC but that was cut short when the company collapsed,” he says.
According to the former football star, the only achievement he got from football was being hired by KCC.
He played for Harambee Stars in 1992 and 1993. Players with the national team included Musa Otieno, Mike Wambani, Francis Oduor and Sammy “Pamzo” Omollo.
The father of six criticises the then-Kenya Football Federation for mismanaging the game and failing to offer support to players.
Namai says the current government should put in place structures to honour football legends like him.
“The government and the Football Kenya Federation should put in place mechanisms to support former players,” he says.
“There is an exodus of Kenyan athletes to other countries because they feel well taken care of while there. Let the government come up with a programme to support people who brought glory to Kenya through sports.”
Despite Namai’s impressive football CV, many locals – some being his customers – do not have an idea of his glorious past.
Namai’s pleas for help from authorities are echoed by Hassan Mungare, a village elder.
“To be honest, I just know him as a charcoal seller. I have never known he brought honour to this country. Authorities need to come to his rescue,” Mungare says.
