Kenyan football has long been mired in challenges ranging from mismanagement, corruption, and lack of accountability leading to a decline in the sport’s development and progress. Amidst these issues, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential aspirant Tom Alila has emerged as a vocal critic of the current state of affairs, specifically targeting Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Ababu Namwamba, for his purported role in exacerbating the predicament.
Alila, a former FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) member, has openly criticized Namwamba’s leadership style, attributing the current turmoil in Kenyan football to his ineffective governance. In a bold and direct statement, Alila called upon Namwamba to take responsibility for the perpetuated crisis and urged him to step down if incapable of steering the sport towards a path of transparency and progress.
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A key point of contention raised by Alila is Namwamba’s apparent sluggishness in addressing crucial matters, particularly in relation to the upcoming FKF elections scheduled for the end of the year. Alila accused Namwamba of shirking his duties and aligning himself with the existing FKF regime, thereby impeding the timely and proper conduct of the election process. This delay, as articulated by Alila, not only undermines the democratic principles of the electoral process but also hampers the potential for much-needed reforms within the football administration.
Furthermore, Alila called upon Kenyan President William Ruto to intervene and facilitate the restoration of stability within the footballing landscape. The plea to the President underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for decisive action to salvage Kenyan football from further descent.
Alila’s bold stance represents a clarion call for accountability, transparency, and effective leadership within the Kenyan football fraternity. By challenging the status quo and holding those in power accountable, he exemplifies a commitment to the advancement of the sport and the well-being of the footballing community at large.
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As the discourse on the state of Kenyan football continues to unfold, the spotlight remains on the actions of key stakeholders, including government officials, sports administrators, and aspiring leaders like Tom Alila. The clamor for change and rejuvenation in football governance echoes the aspirations of fans, players, and all those invested in the beautiful game, signaling a pivotal moment for the future of football in Kenya.
“We have a big problem in Kenya, we have an indecisive Minister of Sports, things are not even working the way they should, the way you see even this FKF elections, Minister Ababu (Namwamba) needs to be decisive and make a tough stand, he should not be in bed with these people (FKF officials), he needs to once and for all make a strong stand in this issues affecting Kenyan football,” said Allila.
“It is a shame, he needs to come out because he is one of the biggest sponsors in football, the government puts a lot of money into sports, especially in football, but he is indecisive, he cannot make tangible decisions, he is rotating, playing trade mill politics on matters football, jogging on the same spot, it is a shame, I think President William (Ruto) now needs to come in and sort out the mess once and for all.”
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A tough-talking Alila continued: “It is becoming a shame, the term of Nick Mwendwa’s office is already up and we ought to be preparing for elections now, but Namwamba is silent on the matter and taking no action or giving direction about it, the Minister must pull up his socks, he should become a leader, he should take charge once and for all, so everyone can feel we have a Minister for Sports.
“Ababu should stop going for these low-hanging fruits, we have problems in all these federations, we have problems in volleyball, we have problems in athletics, everywhere where there is a problem just because we have a substantive minister of sports, he is letting Kenyans down in this football matter.”
Alila did not stop there further saying with Namwamba still in charge of the sports docket, Kenya will lose the rights to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals. “We are talking and doing nothing, AFCON is a big tournament coming for the first time to the East African region and especially Kenya but they are just talking and doing nothing, the Minister is just talking, Tanzania and Uganda have already led the way and constructed venues, but in Kenya, they are just talking, they have nothing to show for and time is running out,” explained Alila.
He concluded: “Ababu is the biggest impediment to sports in this country, he is not listening to federations to chart the way forward, he is the biggest problem, he is letting down his people, he needs to take up his job, the government came up with the bottom-up approach, to nurture talent, but we don’t have a plan, it is all noise, I don’t know what he (Namwamba) stands for.”
