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The Nairobian

The prized trophy: President Kenyatta receives iconic Fifa World Cup diadem

Football

By -ERICK OCHIENG’ | Nov 28, 2013

BY ERICK OCHIENG’

TOP: President Uhuru Kenyatta admires the Fifa World Cup Trophy during a at Coca Cola Africa headquarters in Nairobi, yesterday. Looking on is FIFA representative, Pekka Odriozola; [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO / STANDARD]

President Uhuru Kenyatta says Kenya has the potential to make it to the Fifa World Cup finals if the country’s football is given a priority.

The President says Kenyans have that dream to qualify and probably win the World Cup in the near future. He says the government is working to ensure the sports pledges in the Jubilee Manifesto are implemented in the course of time.

While urging the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to put its house in order to enhance development of the game, Uhuru challenged the corporate world to come out in large numbers to support FKF in realisation of this road to the Fifa World Cup.

Uhuru officially received the Fifa World Cup trophy yesterday morning.

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He told Fifa Trophy Tour representative, Pekka Odriozola, who jetted in with the trophy, that it’s a great honour for Kenya to host the coveted cup for the second time in less than four years.

“Kenya is a blessed nation to be among the chosen eight in Africa to host this trophy that first visited the Kenyan soil in 2009,” said the President as he unveiled the trophy at the Coca Cola Country Headquater in Upper Hill, Nairobi.

The plane carrying the coveted trophy. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO / STANDARD]

The plane carrying the trophy, won by Spain in the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 7.30am and was received by Cabinet Secretary for Art, Sports and Culture Hassan Wario and Commissioner for Sports Gordon Oluoch.

The President, who was the only person allowed to touch the revered trophy officially unveiled the cup in the afternoon and was photographed with it before Fifa handed him a replica of the same.

“Kenya is not taking this honour for granted. This trophy means Fifa is in solidarity with the country especially during this season of Kenya@50 celebrations,” said Uhuru, adding that the country will honour sports heroes during this period.

Kenyatta reiterated that Kenya can qualify for World Cup if football was given a priority.

“Kenya is an avid football playing nation. There is no barrier for us joining the other top football nations. We only need to sort out ourselves to reach the pinnacle of world standards.”

The president urged Kenyans to support the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Senior Challenge that kicked off in Nairobi yesterday.

Wario, who also challenged FKF to put its house in order, said Kenya needs to plan to win the Fifa World Cup in the next half a century.

Kelvin Balogun, the Coca Cola East, Central and West Africa president, said bringing the trophy to Kenya is a way of Coca Cola cementing its relationship with Kenyan fans and Fifa to promote the game.

Unveiling of the trophy was feted by songs and Brazilian carnival entertainment. Brazillian singer, David Correy belted out the official 2014 Fifa World Cup anthem which he composed.

Fans will today have the chance to be photographed with the trophy at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre.