Stephen Waweru’s dream to become a well-known footballer slipped away when he was 20 years old.
But his insatiable passion for the world’s most popular sport has lived on to see him champion for the development of football for the deaf in the country - earning him a State recognition.
The 43-year-old player, who works as an auxiliary nurse at St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Gilgil, Nakuru County, was among the 24 sportsmen and women recognised and awarded the National Heroes Council medals by the government during last year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations for their immense contribution to Kenya’s sports either as an athlete or official.
Some of the notable names in the list included the late world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum and four-time world champion and double-Olympic 1,500 metres winner Faith Kipyegon.
Waweru, who wears many hats, including being President of the Deaf Football Federation of Kenya (DFFK), says that the surprise honour by the government stoked the fire of his burning desire to see football for the deaf in the country become competitive like the competitions for able-bodied footballers.
“It (the State recognition) showed the trust and commitment that I have for deaf football, which I want to see grow to become very competitive,” he tells Nation Sport in a WhatsApp conversation, adding that owing to the honour, he feels happier to be deaf.
“No regret! No wish I was a hearing person! I always thank God for creating me like this,” asserts the father of three.
Deaf Football Federation of Kenya president Stephen Waweru disaplays his National Heroes Council medal at his Nakuru home on November 11, 2023.
Growing up in Gitaru ward in Kikuyu Sub-County in Kiambu, Waweru recollects that despite being deaf – meaning that he was different from most children in their neighbourhood – he never shied away from interacting with them, including playing.
While it was football that was his cup of tea, his interest in volleyball piqued during his elementary education at Kerugoya School for the Deaf in Kirinyaga County.
But with his sights firmly set on being Kenya’s top deaf footballer, if not renowned like his idol Argentine legend Diego Maradona, Waweru remembers that it was football that he put in extra effort during his O-level and higher education at Njoro Secondary School in Nakuru and Karen Technical Training Institute for the Deaf (KTTID) in Nairobi, respectively.
Sadly, though, his pursuit of the ambitious target was shattered in 2000 due to lack of a strong development structure for football for the deaf in the country.
Amidst huge disappointments, he took it upon himself to champion for the growth of football for the deaf in the country.
“When I was a player, my dream was to be famous like Maradona. But there was no national football team for the deaf to join and that is where I decided to take the lead in building deaf football in the country,” narrates Waweru, who played as a midfielder or defender.
He captained both the volleyball and football teams at KTTID during which they scooped many trophies in the Kenya National Deaf Vocational Sports Championships.
In his quest to make football for the deaf in the country competitive, he in 2000 formed the Planet Deaf Sports Club in Kibra, Nairobi, to replace the Deaf Union Football Club that had collapsed in the previous year due to financial difficulties and lack of proper management.
Deaf Football Federation of Kenya president Stephen Waweru makes a point during an interview at his Nakuru home on November 11, 2023
Photo credit: Richard Maosi | Nation Media Group
Waweru, who was a player-cum-coach at Planet, says it gave birth to nine other deaf clubs across the country namely Kiserian (Kajiado), Pirates (Mombasa), BlackStars (Nairobi), Fishbone (Kilifi), Flamingo (Nakuru), Sukari (Kakamega) and Sunpool (Kisumu).
And even after Planet collapsed in 2020 after Waweru relocated to Gilgil to work as an auxiliary nurse at St Mary’s Mission Hospital, more deaf football clubs have continued to be established across the country.
They include Eagle (Turkana), Golden Axe (Kajiado), Eastleigh (Nairobi), Bison (Siaya), Thunder (Kisii) Banana Land (Nyamira), Global Deaf (Nairobi), Warrior (Kilifi), Simba (Samburu), Taxes (Isiolo), Bluestars (Garissa), Dawa (Mandera), Karen (Nairobi), Scotland (Machakos), Maizeland (Kitale), Safari (Bungoma), Moon (Busia) and Kingfish (Kirinyaga).
“I didn't want to see talented deaf footballers go to waste, that is why I formed the Planet Deaf Sports Club. It is my dream to see them join good clubs since through that, our national team will be very strong and we will perform well at the World Cup and Deaflympics,” says the medic.
Owing to his commitment and passion in making football for the deaf competitive in the country, Waweru has risen to hold various positions including first vice chairman Kenya Sports Federation of the Deaf, first vice chairman Kenya Sports Federation of the Deaf, first vice president Deaf African Football Confederation and Deaf International Football Association Executive Member.
Some of DFFK’s achievements under his tenure include Kenya successfully hosting of the 2016 East Africa Deaf Football Challenge Cup, the establishment of national deaf futsal team and regional football leagues, and Kenya participating in the 2022 Summer Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul in Brazil.
“My aim is that DFFK grows big in deaf football clubs. I want to see our deaf football clubs participate in international competitions with the players earning a living from the sport,” he says.
Since there are only two deaf football referees in the country, during competitions, he said that they seek for assistance from abled ones. They also partner with Football Kenya Federation to train deaf referees and coaches. Lack of funds and facilities, Waweru says are the main challenges they are grappling with.
