Kenya must do more to reach World Cup

Kenya will be at the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.

This was the pledge made by Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa when he took office on February 10 last year.

The truth, however, if Kenya’s performance against English Premier League side Hull City last Monday is anything to go by, is that this will remain a pipe dream for as long as no concerted effort is made to close the talent gap between Kenya and her opponents.

For far too long Kenya has been touted as a resurgent force in as far as East African football is concerned. Yet despite having a stable economy and political stability, despite bursting with a plethora of football stars who ply their trade abroad, limited progress has been made to realise our potential in football.

Succeeding in anything requires hard work and strategic thinking. Ideas matter and what Kenya needs right now are ideas that will reposition it in this competitive business of football.

Kenya was once a force to reckon with on the continent, and it has not fallen behind for no reason. This country’s football has fallen behind because of its people.

In spite of genetic superiority that our players have by way of endurance, pace and stamina, we continue to struggle to leverage on these and transform the game we love into something beneficial.

It was comforting that local players, government officials and representatives from Kenyan Premier League Limited as well as Football Kenya Federation were in England last Monday to witness firsthand how good policy can impact on a country’s football.

Kenya has perfected the art of repeating mistakes, and the dwindling football standards is the result. A reversal of this situation requires a complete re-set of our mind set. Kenyan football officials need to make key decisions to transform Kenyan football.

They should make strategic decisions that will grow the game, not those that end up exposing our backwardness and ineptitude in sports.

They should stop endless bickering and work together to develop an improved product in the form of a stronger domestic league, not divide spectators over issues like the composition and size of the top-flight league.
They should stand up and prove that Kenya can be inventive and innovative and best of all, let them know that the task of liberating Kenya from the oppressive (and in our case, shameful) dominance by others lies on their shoulder.

The government must also come on board and do its part in facilitating success. The game needs more stadia with ideal playing surfaces not just to convince Caf to allow us host second-rate competitions like Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), but for the wider benefit of the game.

It needs journalists to be more dedicated and proactive in advocating for better policies, not just being opportunistic mouthpieces of those in power or anyone else who wields economic power.

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are top brands in as far as Kenyan football is concerned. But the two have set the bar so low for fellow clubs and it is a big shame that neither of the teams participates competitively in continental competitions.

Let their officials (and indeed those of all premier league clubs) position themselves strategically in order to attract corporate attention, then embrace intelligent investments that will lead to their own sustainability and the welfare of their players.

As local football lovers, the game is calling on you to step up and be counted. Turn up in national team games and cheer the team. Sitting back and criticising every effort being made is no longer good enough.

As Caf media officer Junior Binyam recently said at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon, football is not played on Facebook.