By Francis Ngira

“Soccer generates heat Ngira but it’s never that serious, It’s just a game!” my late Dad then a diehard fan of the KPL said. Mr. Okello the local soccer enthusiast constantly used this line whenever we visited the stadiums for matches. This saying never sunk into my brain as it has recently done; I have seen quiet, well dressed citizens of this country who every Mondays to Friday, 8am to 5pm ooze incredible intelligence but publicly display the animal in them on a bad soccer day.

It has never been my intention to say this of our beloved soccer fans but if not managed in time, the desperation at the den’s terrace might turn catastrophic in future gauging by the few incidences witnessed in the recent past with yesterday’s match against Ligi Ndogo in sharp focus. What happened to self policing amongst members of the Ingwe terrace?

KELI’S  RED CARD
This was Keli’s first red card in his professional football, in short he is not a known hard tackler and the injury on the Ligi Ndogo player was unintentional as argued by many pundits. All that not withstanding, this particular incident was a high boot therefore a punishable offence whose price is either a red card or a yellow card depending on the discrection of the referee of the day. Personally, judging by the events on the field at that moment; a player layed prostrate on the field with his face oozing blood, I would give a red card to my good friend Jacob Keli not because I hate him or AFC Leopards as a team but  because every professional must always discharge his duties within the confines of the law that govern his trade and I think even the biased ones too should always strive to leave a thin line of objectivity to save them in the last minute should their conduct be subjected to serious scrutiny.

LAW AND ORDER
I think the incident was early in the game that it didn’t warrant no one to pelt objects at the 2nd assistant referee or charge towards the gate threatening to invade the pitch, you can still play under protest right? unless the confidence in our country’s soccer justice system has been eroded shifting power back to the terrace such that it’s “JUSTICE NOW OR NEVER!”
We all have a right to picket over an injustice as provided for by the constitution but all I know is that the exercise and enjoyment of your rights and freedoms globally comes with responsibilities so as not to curtail the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms by others.
Yesterday,  one of the few policemen on duty was forced to use a live bullet something that shouldn’t be happening in the peaceful game that football is supposed to be, but again he has a cardinal constituional duty to protect lives and property by maintaining law and order.
Has anyone thought of what would have happened had AFC Leopards lost the game against this background background?

A CHALLENGE TO FKF/ KPL:
Records of where AFC Leopards were on the log last year, their strength in the GOtv shield campaign at a time like this coupled with my little knowledge of psychology are there to back this up. Their next match against a resilient Western Stima slated to played at the Kisumu stadium should be well planned interms of security to avert any felony or else we shall count loses. Lest we forget planning for their next game against Tusker in the cup final.

NB:The author is just a live sports cameraman who sees all this through his lens though without sound.