The ‘Football’ in FKF has been silent for a long time

Former Harambee Stars coach Jacob Ghost Mulee instructs his charges during their friendly match against South Sudan at Nyayo National Stadium on March 13, 2021. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Finally!

If you are not a religious person, allow me to teach you an important concept in Christianity: God answers prayers. He does. Not always in your stipulated time frame, but when His time is right, He works in mysterious ways. Like getting Kenya officially banned from any international football competition, indefinitely! Finally.

As if we did not know it already, it was due to government interference.

On the same bandwagon carrying the August House, the NHIF, KPLC and just about any other state corporation, is the Football Kenya Federation. Jokers who think they are even a little bit funny at the expense of the local mwananchi’s pockets. Like how your girlfriend keeps insisting you pay for a stand-up show where only dry jokes are sprayed...each...single...time.

FKF does everything but football. Anything that sounds like it has the word ‘football’ in it will be hurriedly embraced by it. They will hold press briefings and take pictures with donors and sponsors and national teams at JKIA. They will unveil new kits for the teams and exchange words with each other, overthrow board members and even sign cheques and pose wide-smiled with dummies. They will even hold elections and subsequent elections.

But players will still say they were not paid. Players will still lack kits to train with, play with even in international tournaments. Players will be stuck in hotels in visiting countries because well, they are waiting for the management. What about stadia? They are always maintained just before an international tournament and left to wait for just about anything we might qualify for in the future.

The Football in FKF is silent; has been silent for a long time. We all owe a huge load of gratitude to FIFA for shouting what we already know. Management is the biggest hurdle to the success of Kenyan Football. It is like Olunga is passing the ball to Wanyama and the government is blocking the post. Oh wait, Wanyama is retired!

Have you ever considered how much football talent there is in Kenya? What happens to players from all these schools that participate in the East Africa Secondary Schools ball games? Far-fetched example. Do you see the high school ball games? I bet it is a good thing that Kenyan parents sometimes beat their children for putting too much efforts in just sports? Where will they play? And if not for money, how is their passion going to convert to anything?? My little brother and cousin, both called Reuben, played so much football growing up, but not so much these days. Every day I am forced to imagine how different life would have been if I were Karim Benzema’s sister.

FIFA says we do not need a Caretaker Committee. Gianni Infantino says Kenya knows what to do to get the FIFA accreditation again. Which, simply put, is to replace the 'F' in FKF with Football. All these happening after AFCON ended a couple of weeks ago and the Harambee Starlets were bound to play AWCON later this month. Jamani.

Dear Kenyans, keep watching the English Premier League and supporting Senegal in these tournaments. MANE for life! See how he toppled the pyramids and angered the Pharaohs.

Asante Sana FIFA!!