here is no sport in Kenya that embodies our national character than soccer. Like our public service and politics, soccer is riddled with gross mediocrity, suffocating myopia, and decadent corruption. Each time the leadership of the sport is changed, a conspiracy between various circumstances occurs resulting in the elevation of clueless clowns and shameless thugs into high office. The result of this sorry state of affairs is that vision is thrown out through the window as wisdom and the patriotism and sacrifice needed to cultivate and grow the sport are flushed down the putrid toilets inside these heartless nincompoops‘offices.
The Shame of Having Potential Yet getting whipped by Nonentities
Uganda, a country that lags behind Kenya in every sense imaginable, has whipped Kenya’s national team more times than most of us can recollect. Other equally small countries with really small populations and less-attractive facilities have also beaten Harambee Stars more than I can remember. The question that Kenyans are tired of asking is: Why is this happening?
Uganda, a small country compared to Kenya, has beaten Harambee Stars a shameful and frustratingly large number of times
To get the answer, we need not look too far. First, some of the fellows who make up the team have third rate talent. It is the type of talent one can easily pass if he or she comes across a dedicated soccer player in an unheard of club in Kayole or Umoja. In other words, ordinary players in small leagues are better players compared to most of the guys in the national team. This speaks volumes about the ability of the leadership to scout for soccer talent from the rural clubs. Again, this is not shocking given the fact that they are busy soliciting for handouts and loans for personal enrichment. While players and coaches in countries such as Ghana and Liberia can forego car bonuses and luxury hotels to create more revenue to recruit and train more players, their Kenyan counterparts can strike for having a dollar deducted from their agreed pay. The common slogan in most African countries is that “if he has more style than substance, then he must be Kenyan.” This applies to both music and soccer.
Mirror Image
It takes the top leadership to inspire a spirit and wave to patriotism that roots out small minded idiots from offices to pave way for men and women who can see the big picture. When JFK challenged Americans to ask themselves what they can do for America and not what America can do for them, he was sure that he would embody that spirit. We lack such a genuine and inspiring figure as a nation. As it exists at the moment, the leadership of the country is made of evil land grabbers, violent thugs, dim-witted dunderheads, unreformed sycophants, verbal arsonists, and perverted child molesters. And yeah, there are yellow-colored showboats. The soccer leadership is just a mirror image of the national leadership.
Remedy
Center for African Progress proposes a radical solution. Coaches, players, and managers have to be given a one year operational period to show their ability. Failure to do so should be followed by voluntary or forced resignation and subsequent replacement. In other words, staying in office is directly related to ability. Can this happen? Let tomorrow tell.
By the Centre for African Progress Team