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In my attempts to explain our average success in football, I first thought that the relatively young age of our biggest clubs was a major reason. AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia were formed in 1964 and 1968, respectively. Young here is relative compared to some big clubs in Africa. Al Ahly of Egypt was formed in 1907, while in DRC, Motema Pembe and TP Mazembe were formed in 1937 and 1939, respectively. Closer home in Tanzania, Young Africans (Yanga) was founded in 1935 while their rivals Simba SC came to be a year later. Then I heard that Maragoli FC was formed in 1935 and a few weeks ago, I wrote that Elijah Masinde played for the national team in 1930.
That’s when I realised that our problem is not that we picked up football later than other African countries, but our inability to build on past success and learn from our failures. Maragoli FC was formed the same year its greatest player and team manager Joe Kadenge was born. Little is known of who formed the club and its initial years until the 1950s when it popped up in Nairobi. The story of Kenyan football always has a tribal and political perspective.
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