END OF AN ERA AS NEW TEAM SWEEPS IN: All eyes on Mwendwa as Nyamweya exits

Former FKF chairman Sam Nyamweya follow proceedings during the general elections at the Kasarani sports Centre on 10th February, 2016.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

It was one of the most difficult periods for Kenyan football. Yet it was the time that Kenyans had the biggest hope in their most popular sport.

Ordinary fans were as disillusioned as were corporates, who previously associated with football. The Sam Nyamweya administration came to office in October 2011 aboard massive public goodwill, coming as it did, following years of running the sport more inside the corridors of justice than inside offices and on the ground.

As a corporate captain of a popular media company explained later: “It was better for Nyamweya to win because his opponents were expected, as they did, to gracefully exit the scene or were not expected to contest his victory in court. That way, peace was expected to prevail in the sport and with it potential for growth was palpable.”

However, since taking over the running of the sport, the sport has been marked by cases officials with divergent views being suspended and reinstated at will.

Companies like Safaricom, who used to sponsor Sakata Football tournament, left the football scene, while a European media company with intentions to broadcast the local football left the scene quietly with a sour taste on its directors’ mouths.

As of this week, the Government was still demanding an explanation on claims of financial mismanagement by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

It was an error after another. The President named him in the list of shame that was taken to Parliament with a recommendation for investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

Recently, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations forwarded his file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office to file criminal charges against him.

When Kenya hosted the regional football tournament, Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in (November 27 - December 12) 2013, so bad was the situation that regional football chiefs vowed: “Never again!”

Teams were being detained inside hotel rooms for non-payment of accommodation and even though Kenya won the tournament, which is probably the only good thing to have happened to Kenya football in the entire four-year period, their opponents in the final, Sudan, were released from the hotel only minutes to the match kick-off, yet the Government gave huge amounts of money to enable the Local Organising Committee host the event that coincided with Kenya at 50 celebrations.

A county government that had shown interest in hosting the event felt cheated for they not only did not host the event, but were not refunded the money they paid for the ‘bid’. The Harambee Stars debacle in Cape Verde was the proverbial final straw that broke the camel’s back.

Much has been said about this chaotic trip and its shambolic preparation, which saw the national team travel in a plane observers thought was not suitable for a trip of that distance.

Players' ticket refunds were not honoured, forcing a frustrated Harambee Stars captain, Victor Wanyama, to raise a red flag.

With Nyamweya out of the office, Kenyans hope the new administration will get its act right and take the sport to the next level.