By SARA BAKATA
Posted Saturday, March 3 2012 at 16:26
Posted Saturday, March 3 2012 at 16:26
The past week was an eventful one for Kenya — it was a week of twos.
We buried two great sons: John Michuki and Njenga Karume.
Two heads of state, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and Salva Kiir of South Sudan, were in town for the launch of the Sh1.5 trillion Lamu Port-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor touted as one of Africa’s biggest infrastructure projects.
We had two strikes: employees of the State-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation went on strike for the first time ever, so did workers in government health institutions.
As usual, there were the tired old lines about hard times, the strike being illegal and about people being fired
Finally, the national soccer team, Harambee Stars, put two goals past Togo’s Sparrows goalkeeper. Our team rarely wins.
And here, we meet the final twos: An injustice was committed against our international striker, Macdonald Mariga; another was to the nation and the supporters of local soccer — we were denied not just his services in the midfield but also a chance to watch him play for the country and possibly score.
With the available scant information about what really happened between the Football Federation of Kenya and Mariga (they both claim to be right), I am tempted to take Mariga’s side.
I wish he had played despite his grievances but I’m also glad he didn’t. A number of people felt it was unpatriotic of Mariga to let a Sh1.2 million dispute come between him and his duty to the nation.
Patriotism, while noble, does not make a career. If it was patriotism they needed on the pitch, there were millions of people to offer that.
Still on patriotism, why didn’t they ask the same of that building contractor who was taking ages to complete the Vice-President’s official residence?
He is a Kenyan first, but he is also a skilled footballer and it is his skill they needed.
I equally doubt Mariga’s was all about money. He makes far much more than what FKF owes him.
It was about respect, pride. FKF must respect not just his time but the effort he puts into travelling back to train and play with the national team.
This should be extended to the other players, local and foreign-based alike. When players are asked to play but their allowances are not paid in time, it is not just disrespectful but embarrassing, too.
The Mariga dispute serves to remind us that nothing really changed in football administration. Is it too much to ask for some decency and professionalism in the way soccer is run?
sbakata@nationmedia.co.ke
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