•Kimanzi, who is the current national team head coach, instantly offered him a chance in the Slum Boys’ packed midfield where he easily penetrated into the first team
•Nyakeya says he draws a lot of inspiration from Sadio Mané, the Senegalese professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Liverpool
Image: ERICK BARASA
Playing professional football is every player’s lifetime dream.
The professional platform comes with loads of money and endless opportunities so they say and yet few local players have made it to that level.
Among the few who have made a breakthrough include national team captain Victor Wanyama who currently plies his trade in Canada after a successful stint at Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur, his brother McDonald Mariga who featured for Italian sides in the Serie ‘A’ league, Kenya’s legend Dennis Oliech, who played for French side, Auxerre and Michael Olunga who plays for Kashiwa Reysol of Japan’s ‘J’ League.
There are a host of other players who have graced European and Asian leagues, the most recent being Arnold Origi (HIFK Fotbol, Finland), Johannah Omolo (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Eric Johannah (Jonkopings Sodra, Sweden), and Joseph Okumu (IF Elsfborg, Sweden).
There are those who also feature for teams in African leagues, including Jesse Were, David Owino and John Makwatta (Zesco United, Zambia) Anthony Akumu (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa) and Ian Otieno.
The latest inclusion in the growing list is none other than former Mathare United midfield wizard, Ciff Nyakeya, who inked a deal with Egyptian Premier League side FC Masr after a brilliant stint in the Kenyan Premier League. Nyakeya was born on January 11,1995 in Mong’oni village into a family of six children (two boys and three girls).
He attended Nyaigesa Primary School, where he was instrumental in the school team’s splendid performance in the district games. His most memorable match was when they thumped Geteni Primary School a 8-4.
He sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams in 2008 and qualified to join Mong’oni Secondary School. There, he proved to be an industrious midfieder, always creating goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates and helping the school to register crucial victories.
Nyakeya recalls a tough battle they encountered against Nyankoba during the high school games competition. It was an end to end game but they eventually won after edging their opponents 4-3.
He didn’t last at Mong’oni for long though. His marvellous exploits on the pitch whetted the appetite of games teachers from Nyankoba Secondary School who were thirsty for his services. They opened talks with him and he played along with their request.
At Nyankoba, the atmosphere was conducive for his growth in football. He got to meet two teachers, Mr. Onsongo and Mr. Andama who gave him all the moral support and the push he so much needed to propel him to greater heights at that level.
“They encouraged me to keep on working hard while in high school,” says Nyakeya.
So good was he that even while still in school, he successfully battled with players much older than him for a slot in the starting lineup of Birongo FC, a team in the neighbourhood that participated in the county league.
He later found a home at Gunners in 2012 before a life-time opportunity came beckoning. Nyakeya’s potential eventually got him into the Gor Mahia Youth squad in 2014 after coach Maurice Onyango invited him to join the team’s camp in Nairobi.
He stayed there for a while until in 2016 when Kenyan Premier League side Mathare United tactician Francis Kimanzi spotted him during one of the matches and was greatly impressed.
Kimanzi, who is the current national team head coach, instantly offered him a chance in the Slum Boys’ packed midfield where he easily penetrated into the first team, dispatching some big names in the industry to the bench.
Nyakeya’s tenure at Mathare was awesome. An attacking midfielder, he found himself battling for the ‘Golden Boot’ award in the KPL on two separate occasions.
He guided the Slum Boys to a sixth place league finish in the 2018/19 season with a convincing tally of 15 goals and seven assists.
In the previous season, he had bagged the Midfielder of the Year award during the Footballer of the Year (FOYA) Awards held at the Kenya School of Government, Lower Kabete. This was after he scored 14 goals and assisting six others.
He narrowly lost the Player of the Year award to Kariobangi Sharks’ Eric Kapaito but still elbowed out close competition from previous winner Michael Madoya (Zoo Kericho) and Elvis Nandwa to claim the midfielder of the year award.
After bagging the accolade, Nyakeya narrated how inadequate financial support almost made him quit football while playing for Gor Mahia Youth in 2014.
During his acceptance speech, he thanked former Gor Mahia secretary general Chris Omondi whom he said had jumped to his rescue at a time he felt exhausted and weighed down.
“I didn’t expect to win but my hardwork has been recognised..I am really proud of where I have come from. It hasn’t been an easy journey. I nearly gave up playing football when I was at Gor Mahia Youth, but I thank Chris Omondi for coming to my rescue,” said Nyakeya.
Prior to his departure to FC Masr, there had existed rumours that both Kenyan Premier League giants Gor Mahia and top tier newbies Wazito FC were battling for his signature.
So good was he that Egyptian scouts spotted him and began luring him to join Al Masr, a side that had just earned promotion to the country’s top tier for the first time since being formed in 2009 after finishing on top of Group ‘B’ of the Egyptian Second Division.
Since joining the Egyptian fourth division, they had secured promotion twice to reach the second tier, winning the league on both occasions.
Speaking to local journalists immediately after securing the deal, Nyakeya said he was extremely elated.
“This is an important move for me and my career progression. Al Masr is a club with great ambition and I want to be part of the good moments as they join the Egyptian Premier league. I promise to give 100 percent work rate.”
Nyakeya says he has received call-up to the national team a number of accassions but he is yet to earn his debut match. He was almost making a breakthrough after he was incorporated in the provisional Chan squad but following his move to Egypt, he was ineligible to play given that only players featuring for teams in local leagues qualified to be in the squad.
Nyakeya says he draws a lot of inspiration from Sadio Mané, the Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Liverpool and the Senegal national team.
He further says he owes quite a lot of gratitude to his father Festus Mandere and mother Agnes Mandere who always urged him on during his rollercoaster ride to fame. “Dad bought me soccer boots when I was in high school,” he says. Nyakeya says he’s single and spends much of his free time listening to music.
BIOGRAPHY
Date of birth: Jan 11, 1995
Place of birth: Masaba South, Kisii County
Age: 25
Citizenship: Kenyan
Position: Midfielder - Attacking Midfield
Current club: FC Masr
Joined: Jul 1, 2019
2001-2008: Nyaigesa Primary School
2009-2010: Mong’oni Secondary School
2011-2012: Nyankoba Secondary School
2008-2012: Birongo FC
2012-2014: Gunners FC
2014-2016: Gor Mahia Youth
2016-2019: Mathare United