Amputees forced to wait for 12 hours only to receive shock of their lives [Photos]

The Kenya National Amputee Football team, alias Amputee Stars are set to represent the country at this year’s World Cup competition, but the dream might just be blown into the air due to lack of finance [Courtesy]

The Kenya National Amputee Football team’s dream to represent the country at this year’s World Cup competition may not be realised.

According to the team’s Secretary General Peter Oloo, the government, through the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts, had promised to give Sh14m only to reduce the mount to Sh6.6 million - citing lack of finances.

And on October 16, barely a week before the team departs for the competition which will run between October 24 and November 5 in Mexico, things took a wild turn.

A team of 15 players and five officials who went to the ministry’s headquarters at Kencom House to follow up on the status of the millions met the shock of their lives.

Government had promised to give Sh14m only to reduce the mount to Sh6.6 million [Courtesy]

Oloo says the government left them unattended in the Ministry’s boardroom for hours — right into the night.

“We arrived at the ministry’s offices at 9 am for a briefing, and to receive instructions about our planned travel to the Olympics. Our team waited for twelve hours in the boardroom — and eventually left at around 10 pm. In fact, they threatened to lock us up if we didn’t leave,” Oloo told The Nairobian.

Adding: “I know as a matter of Public Relations, the PS’ personal assistant told us to report at the offices the following day.”

He explained that they were to meet the Principal Secretary Amb. Kirimi Kaberia, but the PS directed them to meet secretary administration Mr Kassim Farah.

“Our agreement with the PS was to meet secretary administration Mr Farah. Unfortunately, he dismissed us once inside the boardroom — and threw words at us,” says Oloo.

They were left unattended in the Ministry’s boardroom for hours [Courtesy]

“All we wanted was money for air tickets and players’ allowances nothing much. Our team already had some money from various organisations, enough to cater for our meals and accommodation in Mexico,” he says.

Adding: “It pains a lot going by the fact that this is a World Cup competition at stake, but our government does not care.”

Our attempts to reach Kassim Farah for comment failed as he did not answer our phone calls.

The Amputee Stars squad, picked from six counties (Mombasa, Kakamega, Bomet, Transzoia, Kisumu and Bungoma) for the global contest, include Goalkeepers: Vincent Mutai, Ferdinand Obi, Defenders: Nicholas Keiyo, Mohammed Munga, Peter Nzioka and Brian Oroka, Midfielders: Samuel Njoroge ,Ignatius Khayumbe, Kevin Lumbasi and Samson Njoroge and Strikers: Polycarp Mboya, Albert Mwakenga, Dalmas Otieno , Harrison Chege and Eugine Makanga.

According to World Amputee Football Federation rules, if the team fails to travel to Mexico, Kenya will be banned for eight years without participating in any international tournaments. This is because it will have not honoured its commitment to participate in the tournament yet other countries were denied the chance to take place in the tournament due to late registration and poor world rankings.