“When Two Elephants fight, it is the grass that will suffer,” A proverb I learnt while in Grade 3 but its impact in the current happenings between the Football Kenya Federation(FKF) , and the Ministry is as relevant as it was back then.

The appointment of Amina Mohamed as Sports CS in Kenya to head the Sports Ministry was greeted with cheers from a section of the media who thought, finally, the Minister’s new “role” was to tame the Nick Mwendwa led FKF.

Amina Mohamed and her PS Okudo’s reign I must say, did not start on a good note mainly because of their utterances even before they assumed office making statements to the media intended to injure the reputation of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and President Nick Mwendwa.That was prejudicial from the word go.

So simple, Kenyans expected some synergic cooperation to promote football. Yes, we thought we will get a better new deal, but all we are getting is an ordeal with the Ministry hell bent in ensuring Kenyan football is banned by FIFA without an iota of pain of how many youths will suffer.

Indeed we should have been spared this agony.

The Ministry of Sports has a lot on its plate currently with Sports suffering due to the Covid 19 pandemic, Kenyans expect less of these Machoism from Minister Amina Mohamed and her PS Okudo who seem to be flexing muscles forgetting that impact of corruption and siphoning of funds in their Ministry meant for the facilitation of our sportsmen and women has a negatively impacted on the ability of many Sportsmen and Women to perform optimally.`

Comments from the Minister that she knows of a mafia at the FA and that she was ready to eliminate them can be best described as unnecessary and careless at this point.

Madam Minister, is exhibiting the impression of “I have done this work before, and I know what you are doing so it will not work with me.”

Clearly if one summons his or her morality compass, you would agree that this is a wrong approach to tackling issues in any Ministry.

The game of hunting is still on course but there isn’t a winner yet and we doubt there will even if they have all the time to themselves.

Like the Ghana Akan proverb says “The deer will suffer and hunter will suffer too”. But this pricks my mind because at the centre of all this, is our dear nation Kenya who has an integrity and image to protect plus the future of our youth.

The Ministry of Sports should think more of Kenya and less of themselves and their parochial interest. Who rules? Who is defeated who? Will mean nothing if the name of Kenya is soiled globally and followed by a ban.

The image of the GFA is getting worse with each passing week and the FA is not an island. It is the FA of Ghana, and that has to be in mind in whatever the ministry is doing.

In the past week, there have been leaked documents going round, indicting the FA in the payment of what has been termed as ‘unclassified payment” .

It is alleged that the Ministry did leak the documents , but they came out quickly to deny it. But if indeed it was leaked by the Ministry, then we cannot trust whoever did that with any national material. There are always better ways to deal with issues internally than washing your dirty linen in public.

This news has made Kenya a laughing stock and we are viewed as thiefs . In this line, what is the work done by the Minister of Sports Amina Mohamed and her Ministry because they will have ended up embarrassing the very nation they seek to protect.

Ministry of Sports and FKF must sit up and work together as one regardless of their differences.The Minister in charge should add fuel to the whole situation with the drums of :War” that is closely being watched by both CAF and FIFA as they wait to pounce.

If the ‘unclassified payment’ if it’s true, it will not be an indictment on the FKF alone but the Sports Ministry and the Government at large.

They are telling the world that the Government of Kenya through it Sport Ministry teams up with the Football Association to misuse funds.
Who will suffer in the end if this is taken serious? Ghana of course. Forget the image FA, the impasse between the Minister and the FA head Nick Mwendwa is affecting the national teams and football at large.

Like the famous African Saying “when two Elephants fight, it is the innocent grass that suffers”, but certainly the two will also be left with injuries.

Remember the parable of the broom when you take out a steak; it’s easy to bend and break but in their numbers and unity they find strength-something that has always been in the Kenyan DNA.UNITY.

FKF needs the Sports Ministry and the Ministry needs the FKF.

After all, it is the Ministry that funds the national teams when needed and the Football Kenya Federation(FKF) manages the national teams for the people of Kenya. The Government (Ministry) basks in the glory of the national teams.

We’ve seen Presidents stating the successes of the various national teams as part of Government’s achievement during State Of The Nation Address.

They say it with so much glee and pride to a point that it sadly becomes a campaign tool to score political points.

The earlier the Minister and the FKF President smoke the peace pipe, the better for the football in Kenya . Even in the Animal kingdom where stupidity is predominant, there is order.

Kelvin Trudeau Musako

Football Journalist | TotalEnergies AFCON 2021 Photographer | Media Officer - Kabwe Warriors FC | Graphic Designer | Videographer