Kenya’s youngest referee eyeing World Cup

At 17 years and officiating Isiolo’s County League, Division One, Super League and FKF premier league matches, Zakaria Abdikadir is Kenya’s youngest professional referee.

An early shoulder injury forced the Form 4 student to hang his goalkeeping gloves before exploring other abilities outside the posts. However, for the love of the game, he could not let his injured shoulder cast him away completely from the sport.

While in class 6 at Isiolo’s St. Kizito Primary School, Abdikadir took up the whistle and began what he little knew would be the start of his refereeing career.

“After the unfortunate shoulder injury, I could not entirely quit football and so I decided to start officiating matches. For the past 7 years, I have refereed local matches within Isiolo County and I have fallen in love with my job,” said Abdikadir.

“As a referee, I have interacted with so many people within and outside Isiolo County that I believe I wouldn’t have been able to meet had I chose to quit football.”

Abdikadir says that he earns a decent living from his young career with pay ranging from Ksh 500 to Ksh 3,500 depending on the league tier. County League matches earn him the least amount while FKF League matches earning him the best package.

“On average, I referee about six matches in one month and with these earnings I’m able to support myself financially and not bother my parents to pay my school fees,” added the cheerful Abdikadir who admits having a tough balancing act between his studies and the refereeing job.

He says it is his dream to referee at a global football match or league and that an hour’s opportunity as a World Cup match referee would feel like an eternity for him.

Abdikadir said that Kenyan referee Aden Marwa has always been his motivation.

Marwa was selected to officiate in 2014’s World Cup in Brazil, making history by becoming the first Kenyan official to take part in the competition.

“Aden started from the bottom, I hear he hails from Marakwet and he’s really got me believing I can achieve a lot,” concludes Abdikadir.