Politics might ruin Shabana FC's fast-rising fortunes

Shabana FC Players display the trophy they won after winning National Super League title after beating Kisumu All Stars 2-0 at Gusii stadium. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Congratulations are in order to Kisii glamour boys, Shabana Football Club, for making it back to the country's premier league. As a result, it has reunited the entire Omogusii community.

While the love towards the club has continued to rise as exemplified by massive turnouts at the club's Gusii Stadium home ground, politicians have not wasted opportunity to ride on the team's popularity.

The last two incidences at Gusii Stadium left me scared of what the future will be like if the two key political factions in the region are allowed to drag their supremacy wars to the football pitch.

I want to plead with the current ring-leaders of President William Ruto and Raila Odinga's interests in Kisii, Governor Simba Arati and National Assembly Chief Whip Silvanus Osoro to restrain themselves and their supporters from using the team to wage their political wars.

Being a community team, it shouldn't be personalised by politicians. My plea is that the team should be kept off politics and left to club members to choose patrons, chairman, coach and other officials.

Speaking at two separate major functions geared towards appreciating the clubs achievement so far, the Mr Osoro (read Ruto) and Mr Arati's (read Raila) differences were very prominent as either side indirectly wanted to outdo the other in terms of support for the new season in the premier league.

The Osoro side at Bomas resolved and even put a team in place to help fundraise for the team, but a day later, Arati, while hosting the team at at a hotel, introduced a sponsor and a Sh20 million support kitty. Good moves so far.

But how I wish it just ended there. Speaking at a public function in Kisii attended by UDA top luminaries, Osoro protested how he was manhandled at Gusii Stadium when he joined fans to watch a match recently.

Unnecessary squabbles

He even alleged a county employee who offered him a seat at the podium was soon after sacked. This is a pointer to unnecessary squabbles that will turn all home matches at Gusii Stadium into a contest in the stands between the two leaders. It will be very unfortunate if this to happens. God forbid, this will easily spill over to the playing field as some players will easily be labeled Osoro or Arati affiliates.

It won't be strange to see Shabana losepoints as the players could easily start passing the ball to those in their political wing while on the pitch. How will be bad. My plea, as a Shabana fan, is to Arati and Osoro to give financial support to the team unconditionally.

Demanding, for example, that all uniforms have names of either of leaders who have donated to the team will invite tension, which will end up affecting the unified support for the community club.

Meanwhile, those willing to support the club, please do so without using it as a political swing board. How I wish the Kisii leaders mobilised support for the club and left it be run professionally by its current leaders led under Neveton Jared Ombongi and the coaching staff led by Sammy Okoth who have brought it where it is now. Go, Shabana go!

Mr Omanga is a media practitioner