by EMMANUEL SABUNI / Sports is usually a short time career and individuals always look for fallback plans when they retire.
However, for former footballers, Margaret Wafula and Carolyne Muhati, sports is so ingrained into their DNA that they found it crucial to stick to the beautiful game, with a little twitch, of course.
After years of getting dirty on the pitch for various teams, the duo decided to, instead of retiring entirely, become referees despite the difficulties therein.
Wafula is now accomplished official and is usually called upon to take charge of Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) and National Super League (NSL) matches while Muhati officiates in the county league to Division Two.
Wafula started her football career at Nairobi’s Mathare Youth Sports Academy (MYSA) right from the Under-10 category, climbing up the ranks into the Under-17 side while at Faith Miracle Academy.
“I started my education career at a school that appreciated talent. The Faith Miracle Academy in Nairobi nurtured my football talent. I used to play football but women football was never serious as it is today,” said Wafula during the interview in Eldoret.
At the school, she played football until she sat her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations.
After her primary education, she got a scholarship to join football giants, Tartar Girls in West Pokot in 2009 at the recommendation of school coach, Paul Okiring.
“After primary, I joined Tartar Girls under coach Okiring. He asked me to join his school after he watched my game in Nairobi. While in Form Three, I was one of the best players when we won the East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (EASSSA). I also won three national titles in the school,” said Wafula.
She says she faced various challenges while playing and learning at the same time.
“It wasn’t easy. I used to wake up at 4am to go for road work. Unfortunately, the diet at the school wasn’t good enough for a footballer,” she says.
“After that, I would go to class. It was quite demanding but I had the will to juggle between the two, learning and playing.”
She said she always had a timetable, which clearly defined when to play and when to study.
“It was a tricky part. When other students were studying, my mind would be thinking about tomorrow’s game or training. At times, we (players) would be forced to sit our examinations separately,” she adds.
At one time, she thought of quitting football following a series of poor academic performances but she claims dropping the sport would have spelt doom for her since that is what had taken her there in the first place.
“The school sponsored my education. Playing football paid my school fees. I learned for free because of my talent. I couldn’t quit,” she narrates.
At the school, she played with the likes of Neddy Otieno, a national team Harambee Starlets mainstay and Zainabu Saumu, who plays for Kisumu All Starlets among others.
After school, she was invited by Muhati and Pamela Mayende, now based in Nigeria, to join Eldoret Falcons.
She played for Falcons for four years before she left to take a refereeing course.
“I realised I was growing old and without money while other responsibilities kept piling. It was the right time to try another career. I went for a Physical Endurance Training (PET) at Moi Stadiu, Kasarani, which I passed and graduated to officiate at KWPL. I also started taking charge of men’s football in Division One and NSL,” she says.
“At Falcons, I can’t say it was good or bad because I was just fresh from school. You see your peers with swag yet you have nothing in the pocket. When going for matches, I could walk for about 12km one way while my colleagues used vehicles. But the club did not really nurture my talent as I expected, and that’s why I decided to make a switch,” she explains. However, the switch came at a price.
Her first match as a referee was in the KWPL. She admits to have made wrong calls which attracted jeers from the spectators, who went on to make expletives at her until she cried and even contemplated throwing in the towel.
She, however, says perseverance is the name of the game and she has learnt how to deal with the jeers and abuse.
“As a centre referee, it is normal to be abused by fans but my concentration is always on fouls and misconduct on the field. If you abuse me, I know it will not affect me. I officiate KWPL, NSL, Division One, Division Two and County leagues,” she says. She regrets the advent of the coronavirus pandemic that has rendered her jobless.
“The pandemic is such a big blow. I had been assigned many matches but they were all suspended, which means earning a living has beecome quite a challenge,” she explains. Her toughest match so far was last season’s clash between Kisumu All-Stars against APS Bomet. It was a promotion battle and tempers would flare up, making it difficult to make decisions.
In the end, Kisumu All Stars were promoted. “I struggled until it ended well. My decisions were fair but the challenges were immense. I made my decisions according to the laws of the game and it ended up well with the home-side winning 2-1. I have enjoyed a good run in KWPL,” she says.
The amount paid to a centre referee per match, ranges between Sh4,500 and Sh5,000 in the KWPL and NSL leagues while an assistant referee is paid Sh3,000.
“As a referee, if am not given a game, it doesn’t matter. Lady referees may face challenges like sexual exploitation to be assigned a game but for me, I believe in my hard work,” she says.
“Even if it takes two weeks to be given a match, I will wait. But there are those who succumb to the pressure and intimidation. I don’t use my body to get favours. I believe that God’s time is the always best,” she said.
For Muhati, it is a different story altogether. Unlike Wafula, who grew up in football environment, Muhati never played football neither in primary nor in secondary school. At St. Patrick’s Primary School in Eldoret, she loved music, basketball and netball.
“I did not play any football while in school but I had to learn after high school because there were no basketball or netball clubs in Eldoret,” says Muhati, who studied at Matuga Girls in Kwale, where she won four national and one EASSSA basketball titles.
“I saw girls playing football in my town and because I loved sports, I decided to join them. I started with Sotik Starlets, who were playing in KWPL in 2011-2012 before joining Eldoret Falcons after they were promoted to top tier in 2015,” explains Muhati.
Back in 2014, she enrolled in refereeing courses while still an active player but was not serious in officiating. “I was not involved seriously in refereeing. I did the refereeing courses in preparation that when I quit playing, I would take up the trade as a source of income,” she says.
“In high school, I played alongside Evelyne Awino, Margaret Moraa among others. At Matuga, I was motivated and nurtured by Philip Onyango. He is my mentor in sports.”
“I have no chance of playing basketball again and therefore I am focused on football, now and forever,” she concludes.
