MP Kingara blames poor selection for Harambee Stars struggles

Ruiru Member of Parliament Simon Kinga’ra has attributed the national football team’s struggles at the international stage to poor selection.

The soft spoken legislator said the performance of the national team for the past two decades is not a reflection of the country’s football standards.

While hitting out at the Ministry of Sports for failing to identify, tap and nurture new talents at the grassroots, King’ara regretted that Kenya will continue to register embarrassing results unless policy makers change tact.

He wondered why a country such as Kenya with top quality talents has failed to make an impression both at the regional and continental championships.

“I wonder why we lose to small teams most of the time, it baffles me. FKF and the ministry of sports should come to either sub-county or ward levels and watch how these young talents are working hard and giving their all to their village teams. They should pick and nurture these talents,” he said, posing a challenge to the FKF and the ministry of sports.

Speaking during the finals for Ruiru NG-CDF football tournament, the first time MP took issue with FKF officials for declining to hunt for raw talents, which he said, if refined, can see the country’s football rise to international standards.

King’ara also decried that most counties have no quality training facilities which has hampered talent growth.

At the same time, players led by David Waithaka called on the national and county governments to move with speed and renovate their playing fields as well as increase selection of grassroots talents and empower players through regular motivations.

Eight teams drawn from all wards in the most populous Ruiru Sub County in Kiambu County were rewarded with the winner, first runners up and second runners up taking home Sh100,000 and trophy, Sh50,000 and Sh25,000 respectively.