Sports CS wants former footballers involved in the game

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba feels that the former footballers must get involved in the game if the country is to compete effectively with the rest of the world.

"I’m convinced as the Sports CS that if our game is to grow and get to the high table of the world football, we must integrate our football legends and their expertise," Namwamba said.

Namwamba was speaking during the Elijah Lidonde Foundation football tournament final held at Bukhungu Stadium over the weekend.

The tournament was organized by former veteran footballers who call themselves “the legends”, under the patronage of Alexander Muteshi who is also the Director General at the Immigration Department. 

The late Elijah Lidonde was a famous football star, who played for Premier League side AFC Leopards and national team, Harambee Stars.  

The Elijah Lidonde Championship started two months ago with 498 teams at the sub-location level before proceeding to location, sub-county and finally county level.

According to the organisers, their main objective is to identify talent among the youth and nurture them as they seek to revive football in the country. 

The foundation also intends to beef up AFC Leopards by supplying the Kenya Premier League outfit with players as well as contributing to the Harambee Stars and Starlets teams.

Plans to establish a Sports Academy in Western Kenya that would export Kenyan talent internationally are also in the offing. 

The sports CS said for the country to revive football, they have no choice but to go back to the basics

He thanked the football legends including Tony Lidonde, Nick Yakhama, Fred Serenge, Washington Muhanji, Aggrey Litali, Alfred Imonje, Ngaira Isese, Winnah Shilavula and Anthony Okumu for organizing the tournament. “I’m so happy that the revival of football in this country is being fronted by these great sons of our land," CS Namwamba said.

In attendance were Kakamega governor Fernandez Barasa, Deputy Ayub Savula, Muteshi, the patron of the football Legends, Ikolomani MP Benard Shinali, AFC chairman Dan Shikanda, and George Muruli among other leaders.