Kenya badly needs selfless leaders to run football
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba (right), Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum (left) and Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa chat at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on July 26, 2023 during an inspection tour of the facility led by Confederation of African Football officials.
What you need to know:
- Kenya is currently at rock bottom after being knocked out clean by the current administration and the only hope is left in the hands of the delegates who have the mandate to elect the right people to lead the ailing sport
- We need free and fair polls, not influenced by nepotism, favouritisim or corrupt practices so that Kenya can go back to the old days when top clubs, Luo Union, AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia and Kenya Breweries (now Tusker) challenged teams from West and Northern Africa
By February next year Kenya will be having a new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) administration replacing the current management of Nick Mwendwa who has served for two terms.
Kenya is currently at rock bottom after being knocked out clean by the current administration and the only hope is left in the hands of the delegates who have the mandate to elect the right people to lead the ailing sport.
Already some people have offered themselves for office, but any candidate who does not meet the requirements of Chapter Six of our Constitution should not be cleared by the committee that has been tasked to stage transparent polls.
Kenya needs a structured football system right from the grassroots. And we can only succeed in revamping the game if delegates will give us right people with integrity, competence and suitable.
Selfless service
For our football to return to the lost glory, we need leaders with selfless service based solely on public interest, demonstration by honesty in the execution of public duties and declaration of any personal interest for decisions and actions.
We need free and fair polls, not influenced by nepotism, favouritisim or corrupt practices so that Kenya can go back to the old days when top clubs, Luo Union, AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia and Kenya Breweries (now Tusker) challenged teams from West and Northern Africa.
With proper leadership, Kenya dominated the East and Central Africa football scene in the 70s and 80s, with the national team Harambee Stars narrowly missing the All African Games gold medal when they lost 1-0 to Egypt at MISC Kasarani in 1987.
The same year Gor won the Cup Winners Cup beating Esperance Sportive de Tunis of Tunisia in two legged finals. Luo Union, AFC , Gor and Tusker dominated the Cecafa Club Championship between 1976 and 1989.
Harambee Stars won the Cecafa Challenge Cup for three years in a row in 1983. AFC won the Cecafa Club Champions title for the third time running in 1984 and 1997.
