AFC Leopards legends are among former sportsmen and women affected by coronavirus pandemic.
Most of those I spoke to said they are struggling to meet their financial obligations because the lower-league clubs where they offer their coaching services have run out of cash to pay them since the government suspended all sports activities and social gatherings on March 13.
Apart from those able to secure temporary jobs with lower-league clubs, the rest are either ailing or languishing in poverty, yet President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered that they be given free medical cover.
Some of the surviving legends still play a role in improving sports at the grassroots as they struggle to make a living.
When President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the late football legend Joe Kadenge at his residence in Nairobi’s South B Estate in 2017, he directed the Ministry of Sports to set aside funds to assist heroes and heroines who have brought Kenya glory in international competitions.
But three years down the line, no mechanism has been established to assist athletes who made Kenya proud in their heyday.
An independent research has shown that many sponsored teams have already approached players and their technical bench officials with a view to imposing pay deferrals as there is no known end to the shutdown yet.
It has been discovered that players in sponsored teams like Tusker FC were also facing financial constraints as they are not earning training allowances.
Sony Sugar, Nzoia Sugar and Chemelil Sugar are among local clubs struggling to survive.
Sony has since been relegated from the Kenyan Premier League for failing to honour three matches consecutively.
While lauding the government’s initiatives meant to cushion players in financial distress, former central defender Robert Matano, who played for AFC Leopards in the 80s, challenged the government to put more players in the scheme as is the case in countries like Angola and India, where former national team players are on a government assistance scheme.
Here in Kenya, former Kenyan international Rishadi Shedu, who entertained us with his dazzling ball control, has undergone four operations since 2013 (two in India and four locally) for an injury he sustained while coaching Bandari FC.
The government has never bothered to come to his rescue.
It is something the Sports Ministry needs to urgently discuss with both KPL and lower-league teams.
Matano has also raised concerns with the criteria of selecting beneficiaries of the funds.
He has challenged the government to take over as sponsor of Kenya’s top leagues and leave its organization to Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
Matano, who is also the interim chairman of the newly-formed Kenya Football Coaches Association has said that by doing so, many youth will be employed through sport.
Matano played football at a time when most players were civil servants working for state parastatals.
He has rightly observed that we risk losing talented footballers who are frustrated by current economic struggles.
