Ex- Harambee Stars coach ailing in Tanzania

Former Harambee Stars coach Tom Olaba lies in bed at the Benjamin Mkapa hospital in Tanzania. PHOTO | COURTESY | 

What you need to know:

  • His last assignment in Tanzania was leading Ruvu Shootings Stars from the lower league to the Vodacom Premier League.
  • "My brother has been in Tanzania since 2016 after he left coaching. He has been living in Morogoro and has been operated on twice on his back. He has a problem with his spinal code," said the younger Olaba.

The family of former Harambee Stars coach Tom Olaba has called on Kenyans to help them raise funds to cater for his hospital bills and airlift him from Tanzania where he has been receiving treatment.

Olaba  served as Harambee Stars coach in 2006 for one-year, before former Tusker coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee took over.

The experienced tactician, who also served as assistant coach for Harambee Stars under the late Reinhard Fabisch in 1997, is currently admitted at Benjamin Mkapa hospital where he was referred to from Dodoma hospital.

According to his brother Fabian Olaba, the former Harambee Stars Under 17 coach has undergone two operations on his back/spinal cord and is currently paralysed.

His last assignment in Tanzania was leading Ruvu Shootings Stars from the lower league to the Vodacom Premier League.

"My brother has been in Tanzania since 2016 after he left coaching. He has been living in Morogoro and has been operated on twice on his back. He has a problem with his spinal code," said the younger Olaba.

He clarified that they were yet to ascertain the amount of bill accumulated so far from the hospital and called on Kenyans to come out to assist since Olaba has depleted all his savings.

"He has been sick and that is why he quit coaching. We would be happy if he is near us so that we can closely monitor his condition. We shall have known the whole amount accumulated in the hospital before the end of the day as my younger brother has already travelled to Tanzania," he added.

Olaba also coached AFC Leopards twice, the latest in 2012 where he took over from Jan Koops, who was dismissed due to a string of poor results. He had also coached Mtibwa Sugar and Zanzibar side Ocean View.

Meanwhile, Kenya National Football Coaches Association (Kenfoca) chairman Robert Matano has asked Kenyans to channel their contributions towards Olaba to Kenfoca treasurer James Saisi.

"He is one of us and we have already started contributing. Let's help our brother come back to Kenya and cater for his treatment," said Saisi.