This picture really made me feel good. That is Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega. I grew up there to be an adult. I went to Kakamega High School in 1979 from my beloved Chianda Secondary School in Rarieda. I was 20 years old.
The Green Commandos, as they used to call our beloved football team with Chris Makokha as their coach were on top of high school football at that time they made us very happy.
As a high school, we had spectacular fields for all sports including hockey where I became the captain and led the team to the national finals in Mombasa in 1980. Oh my goodness we were staying at Shimo La Tewa High School and it was really a good place.
Back to business. The Kakamega football team (Green Commandos) of 1980 onwards has defined many pages in our football history. Chris took charge of that football team of young talents in high school. Never mind that Chris was also a prominent science teacher and our high at that time opened a first-class science lab for students and his first job was to get students using the lab.
We had some amazing players there. We had George Odhiambo one of the best centre-backs I have seen. They called him Jojo and they loved him. And believe this or not when I was in jail so many years later as a human rights activist they told us we have important visitors from the central office. So we sit tidy and clean. Guess who comes in as part of the visitors. It was Jojo doing his work. He saw me and we just laughed.
Why do I bring all these up? One because I see Mikhisa Kituyi there. That is a veteran how to do things kind of guy. The Azimio government is going to need people like him and more.
Read: Raila and Martha need to take up from where President Uhuru is leaving. He delivered for country.
Secondly, I bring all this stuff up because our country has choked youth sports, particularly football where we have immense talent.
Kids have no fields to play anywhere even in our cities and urban centers. We are killing our youth talent in football and other sports and it is time to stop that.
All these kids need is a field. You can keep the money. Just give them that field.
Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada
