Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Friday flagged off the Kenya national amputee football team who departed Nairobi for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for a regional tournament.
The national team, dubbed Amputee Stars, is ranked 11th in the world after beating the odds to finish 12th out of the 24 nations that took part in the World Cup in Mexico in October and November in 2018.
Sonko was again on hand to fund the team’s trip to Dar es Salaam to participate in the East and Central Africa Amputee Football (CECAAF) championships that start Saturday.
Once again, the team received two sets of jerseys branded Team Sonko on the insistence of the 11 players and nine officials who make up the travelling party.
Last year, Sonko had to come to their rescue after the ministry abandoned the team, having to go without meals for hours even after doing Kenya proud.
They had to stage a sit-in at the Sports ministry’s Kencom House headquarters to draw attention to their plight. Sonko got to know of their plight and they have been like team and official sponsor ever since. Before departing, the team was handed two sets of uniforms, footballs and some Sh800,000 cash in allowances.
“You did us proud in Mexico although you did not succeed in bringing home the trophy. You are not going to represent Sonko. Sonko is just a sponsor. You are going to represent the country and all Kenyans,” he told them after learning the team’s jerseys were branded Team Sonko.
