Now let’s play the beautiful game

The Kenya Premier League kicks off today with 16 teams fighting for top honours. It promises to be another sizzling season for football lovers, who have kept the fire burning for the local game. Thousands of fans have in recent years returned to stadiums, thanks to an organised contest that has given rise to home-grown talent and attracted some strong players from the East African region.

Credit must go to a few good men and women who have faithfully shepherded the league amid numerous wrangles on finances, refereeing, TV rights and even the number of clubs. And with the new Football Kenya Federation team now in office, Kenyans expect more professionalism in football management.

Unpaid salaries for players and club officials should be a thing of the past. Hooliganism during matches should be confined to the annals of history. With order and entertaining football back on our stadiums, more Kenyans will inevitably return to cheer their favourite teams. Sponsors will eventually fall over themselves dangling multi-million shilling deals. Let beauty return to our football as the best teams battle it out for the Sportpesa Premier League.