Raila meets ex-footballers, promises to raise their concerns with Kenyatta

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Thursday met a group of retired Kenyan footballers and expressed pain seeing the state of their lives.

Consequently, Odinga has said he will personally meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss ways and means of helping the retired footballers get better livelihoods.

Led by legendary Joe Kadenge, the ex- internationals who donned Kenyan colours in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties said they have been ignored despite playing a pivotal role in putting Kenyan football on the world map.

“The current crop of Kenyan footballers is enjoying the fruits of our labour,” said Kadenge who was happy to meet Raila one more time.

“Mheshimiwa (Raila) you are my long-time friend from the fifties when I was playing and I have confidence through you, we, the legends will get recognition.”

Raila was excited to have met the legends who were led to his Capitol Hill office by former Football Kenya President Sam Nyamweya. The former Prime Minister spoke of his playing days at Luo Union while Kadenge was with Abaluhyia and he maintained that community football was the way to go in building passion for the game.

The legends stated their support for the new found working relationship between the opposition chief and President Uhuru Kenya and said the same should be extended to football from the management level to the playing unit.

Among the legends who were present included former Harambee Stars coach Marshal Mulwa, John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla, Mahmmoud Abass, Victor Onyango, John “Shoto” Lukoye, Josiah Ougo, George Waweru, James Ojiambo and Swaleh Oswayo.

The legends recently formed an association to look into their issues. The Sports Stars Foundation aim at empowering sportsmen after their active years in sports.

The foundation which is open to all sportsmen across all disciplines is mooting a grand plan of forming a Savings and Credit Association (SACCO) in future to financially help the sportsmen.

European Football Association advisor Dr Mike Hopkins who is a world renown CSR advocate is already fund raising for the foundation while Mathare Youth Sports Association founder Bob Munro will sit in the board as one of the advisors with Nyamweya as patron.

The foundation which is open to all sportsmen across all disciplines is mooting a grand plan of forming a Savings and Credit Association (SACCO) in future to financially help the sportsmen.