FKF supporters storm meeting and disperse ex-internationals

A press conference called by former footballers urging the Government to act on deteriorating state of football in the wake of Harambee Stars’ exit from the African Cup of Nations qualification ended prematurely Wednesday in Nairobi.

The conference, addressed by former internationals Eric Obura, John ‘Shoto’ Lukoye, Henry Motego and others, was about to end when people apparently sympathetic to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) stormed in and forced everybody to disperse.

They had called on President Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Sports Dr Hassan Wario to remove FKF President Sam Nyamweya’s executive from office, saying they would embark on collecting one million signatures to petition the president to disband the FKF.

“FKF has done nothing to grow football in Kenya,” Obura stated.

They also want the implementation of the 2013 Sport Act which they believe will streamline football operations.

“Football in Kenya needs vibrant, focused and accountable individuals who know the kind of direction football should take,” Odhiambo ‘Solo’ added.

“By Nyamweya telling Kenyans that players’ allowance were paid to Harambee Stars players is simply hilarious. These are basic rights of the players,” said Obura.

Dr Wario had in the morning said in separate Citizen TV talk show Cheche that the government would issue a statement on the state of football in Kenya in a very clear and decisive way forward.

Meanwhile, reaction to Stars’ early exit continued to reverberate from the across the country.

In Mombasa, former Harambee Stars defender, Ricky Solomon, urged FKF to convene a consultative meeting to save football.

As former players, we have a duty to play and see football is in the right hands by working closely with the elected officials. Our dream is to see football move to the next level,” said Solomon.

Solomon said it was disheartening to see Kenya bundled out of the pre-qualifier by a country, with a population of only two million.

He said it is time to rectify the mistakes and urged football fraternity to stop the blame game and instead come up with solutions to improve Kenya’s ailing football.

“We want Kenya Football Coaches Association, referees, former players, Kenyan Premier League and schools associations fully involved in the management and running of football from the grass root,” added Solomon.

Mohammed Kheri, who led Harambee Stars to 1990 African Cup of Nations in Algeria, asked why the under-17 side was disbanded and “it is the bedrock of football anywhere.”

He said even the current coaches will also be fired for non-performance if proper structures are not set up.

In Kisumu, former international Lukio Agonda urged the Government to involve world football ruling body, Fifa, in suspending Kenya from international football for two years to put their house in order.

Agonda said disbanding the technical bench and appointing a new one was not the best solution to what was ailing football, noting that a lot needs to be done to return football to the where it belongs.

The former international said: “Football Kenya Federation (FKF) should look for the root cause of the problem other than suspending the technical bench.”

“With good structures in place, football can grow and become an industry like in the developed countries,” he added.

He said the country should have a strategic plan with clear guidelines of developing youth academies for under-17 players to nurture their talent.

“Each club should have an academy from where young players are nurtured to join the main club just like it happens in the developed world,” he added.

Peter Dawo, a former international, also said Kenya should participate in more Fifa matches with bigger teams to prepare for international games.

Dawo said: “During our times we had passion to play for the national team and represent the country. We used to play without being paid and enjoyed scoring and lifting trophies.”

“Nowadays players are paid handsomely and you fail to understand why they are not committed,” he said.

A football fan Oscar Modoch Ocholla said the problem Kenya has is the federation and not the technical bench.

“What is FKF’s manifesto? Can they tell Kenyans what they have done since they were elected into office? We have failed to qualify for major international tournaments and the federation should exit honorably and give a team with clear vision a chance to run football,” said Modoch.