Robert Munro, There Will Be None Like You

Mathare United Founder Bob Munro greets his players after their match against Vihiga United FC at Camp Toyoyo Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday 16/06/18.[Boniface Okendo,Standard]

One day in August 1987, on a work tour of Mathare slums, he watched as a group of young boys played football with a polythene bag ball and stones as goal posts. A conflict ensued and Bob called for a penalty kick and the boys got very excited. He asked himself why those children cannot get a sporting chance the way he got in Ontario in community organised baseball and ice-hockey?

That is how he dedicated his life for the children around Mathare which included Eastleigh, Pangani, Pumwani and Majengo areas. An unconfirmed story is told of how Bob Munro tried to come up with Kibera Youth Sports Association. He went to Undugu Society Centre in Kibera with Father Groll. Violence ensued before the football tournament ended and the trophies were stolen as people scattered. That is how Munro decided to concentrate of the informal settlements to the East of Nairobi.