By Fredrick Nadulli,
Sir, I hope this finds you well. In case you forgot me, we spoke on phone some two years ago on the state of soccer in this country. I did duty for Kenya as a football international and continue doing so as a latter day scribe. Am writing to you on behalf of 65% Kenyans considered as youth, and 35% more of advanced age who together make up the 43 million population of this nation only recently ranked in global indexes as being ‘very optimistic’. I may be forgiven for ignoring and punching holes in your busy schedule but before your noble handlers throw me under the bus, please take petit time off your tight diary and read this.
Your Excellency, Kenya has just lost a golden opportunity to host a major continental tournament called CHAN. Just so you know, CHAN is an African championship that features footballers strictly plying their trade within their respective domestic leagues. Nations given hosting rights qualify automatically.
Seeing that Kenya lately does not qualify for any of these and only graces invitational tourneys, there was no shorter route and better platform for our local lads to showcase their skills in the hope of hitting the eye of a potential overseas scout. Of course as a trained journalist am quipping this tongue-in-cheek and waxing lyrical, but therein lies a serious message.
Being a “political youth” yourself, many young and aspiring footballers expected you to feel them, to relate to them, to look after their interests and do all within your powers to ensure CHAN is played here in January 2018, but alas, you have come short of that. From where I sit, am sometimes compelled to believe you were not even aware Kenya was supposed to host that continental event.
A sixth sense stubbornly tells me your inner circle may not even have kept you in the loop regarding the championship and your government’s obligation towards realizing this elusive dream.
As you hit the campaign trail in a spirited search of a second term you might be mired neck-deep in murky waters selling your policies and track record and put football on the back burner, but Sir, if memory serves me right, in 90% of your rallies you have never forgotten to mention the youth and how much your regime loves them.
And lest it takes a toll on our collective psyche, those audiences are largely made up of young people. Admittedly, the buck stops at your desk and on this one you have terribly let us down.
In hindsight, as a country governed by institutions, I must remind myself to cut you some slack.
There is the Football Kenya Federation – FKF – that barks more than it bites, then there is your very hardworking and suave minister for Sports Mr. Hassan Wario. In case your handlers forgot to inform you, these two entities worked their socks off to ensure CHAN stays within our borders, but in typical Kenyan parlance the devil got in the details and conspired to take away the tournament.
While the FKF brazenly took CAF inspectors on a wild goose chase in the name of convincing them that work was in progress and there was no cause for alarm, technocrat Hassan Wario, a candidate for minister of the year if such an award exists, in his trademark cool mien, worked tirelessly in his office coming up with fancy blueprints that am sure are still stuck up in some traffic somewhere trying to reach your revered address on the hill. By the time they reach your office, a strong instinct tells me Kenya will be football World Cup defending champions.
Excellency, your administration promised at least five modern stadia spread across various counties when you rode into office. Could you please get in touch with the contractor on the ground and get the country a progress report? CHAN may have slipped through our buttery fingers, but we need those arenas nonetheless.
And while you are at it, could Hassan Wario please take a well-deserved vacation in the Maldives, as he is one hell of a Cabinet Secretary who sacrificed a lot to single handedly improve sports in this country and brought hitherto faded hopes to wannabe sportspeople? I offer to personally drive him to the airport in real time to catch his business class flight.
Sir, as you continue to coax the electorate and hunt for political votes, its only proper I remind you once more, in case it escaped your mind; Kenya was stripped of hosting rights for CHAN which they were granted way back in 2014, not because we lack the infrastructure and modern facilities, but because the devil hates Kenya.
Yours Patriotically
Freddy Nadduli
Former Kenya/Mathare international
