Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has hailed the late Brazilian football legend Pele as a symbol of world unity.
Pele, who was buried in Brazil on Tuesday, died last week aged 82 after a long battle with kidney and prostate complications.
“On behalf of the entire sporting fraternity of the Republic of Kenya, I join the rest of the world in mourning but also in celebrating a modern-day legend, Pele,” Namwamba said.
He said Pele was more than just an incredible footballer who did mesmerising things with the ball on the field.
“This was someone who embodied the power of football and sports to unite, heal, and break down barriers of race, language, region, culture, and class.”
“Who hasn’t heard of Pele? Even those born many years after he retired. We all know Pele is synonymous with football.”
Ababu described Pele, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, as a gentleman who rose from obscurity to become the most powerful symbol of sportsmanship.
“So, even as we mourn the passing of this great I’m of all time, we celebrate his contribution to elevating sports to what they are today, as well as deploying sports as a powerful symbol of world unity.”
He claimed that the football legend brought the world together, breaking down barriers caused by race and color.
“Pele demonstrated that whether you are white or black, American or African, Asian or European, sport is a language that we can all understand. Sport is a time when we can all participate, a celebration in which we can all take part.”
“So, today the world mourns a true legend, a true icon, and this coming so soon after the greatest football final of the World Cup ever. It’s so sad that we had to lose Pele at such a time. It’s also fitting that Pele takes his bow at a time football has become truly global.”
Namwamba stated that Pele’s success in football had paved the way for further achievements in the sport around the world.
“We have witnessed the first-ever finals in the Middle East and also witnessed an African country making it to the semifinals of the World Cup for the first time. So what Pele dreamt, the vision that he carried, the agenda that he had of a world united through football has come true.”
