Where did the rain start beating the Kenyan Sports Industry? This is not drama any more but utterly inhumane!!
The Kenya Amputee National Football Team recently headed to Mexico for their World Cup managing a commendable 12th place finish out of the 24 available countries.
It has however been hell on earth for the team that has not had any residential training and have now been twice forced to sleep outside and inside the ministry boardroom pleading to have some funding which they demand as their right.
The team almost missed this golden opportunity after their plea to the ministry of sports fell on deaf ears with Nairobi Governor intervening in time to ensure that they participated and sponsored their uniforms.
The governor promised some lucrative rewards if the team succeeded; KSh 2 million if they win and as much as KSh 250,000 if they just make it to the quarterfinals. However, the cash given to them was used to pay off debt that they had accumulated while preparing and now don’t have even fare to travel back home.
The team spent the night in the ministry’s boardroom in a sad turn of events as narrated by an insider.
So even after the Kenya national amputee football team represented the country in the amputee football world cup in México lifted the countries name and flew the Kenyan flag high, they could not be allowed to access the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts.board room this morning and were asked to wait outside at the entrance near the reception just after the lifts. The players were tired and fatigued due to the long journey from México.
The players agenda was to present the ministry of sports with the trophy and the report from their achievements in the just concluded world cup tournament.
The players are also pleading with the ministry of sports to pay their allowances so that they can travel back to their home and join with their families whom they have been away from the the last two months.
Without allowances these players can not be able to even pay their transport or even provide their families with basic needs such as rent, food etc.
This is a very bad reception by the very people we expected to receive us with great joy and honour. We’re really disappointed and heart broken.
The little money the players have was given to them by his excellency governor Mike Sonko. which they have used to pay up debts they borrowed during local training camp before the team left for mexico. Most players were hosted in Nairobi by their fellow players and team doctor and entirely depended upon their hosts for basics like transport, food and accommodation.
Receiving the victorious Kenya amputee national football team at the JKIA, after their successful participation in the just concluded amputee football World Cup in Mexico. I’m proud of the team after Kenya finished 12th out of 24 countries that participated in the amputee football World Cup.I offered my support to the team after I was touched by their determination and resilience.
Posted by Mike Sonko. on Wednesday, 7 November 2018
Upon speaking to a few ministry officials today we were told nothing can be done today because the sports PS and CS are not in office and matters will be looked into once they’re back. Is that how really things work at the ministry?
The players have since resolved to spend the night at MOSCA until their plight is looked into.
Who will save the sports industry??