Sam Nyamweya slams Kenyan football, draws stark comparison with Tanzania's success

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FOOTBALL Sam Nyamweya slams Kenyan football, draws stark comparison with Tanzania's success

Festus Chuma 11:19 - 22.10.2023

Former FKF president Sam Nyamweya has strongly criticised the state of Kenyan football, aiming for a revival in the upcoming elections.

Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president, Sam Nyamweya, has launched a scathing critique of the current administration, citing Kenya's lagging football standards compared to Tanzania.

Nyamweya, who is seeking to make a triumphant return to the helm of Kenyan football, has pledged to revitalise the sport and restore Kenya's glory as the top footballing nation in East Africa.

As he gears up for the FKF elections in February 2024, Nyamweya's vision is to emulate the success story witnessed in Tanzania and overhaul the Kenyan football landscape.

The 70-year-old administrator expressed his deep concern over the deteriorating state of Kenyan football, highlighting the remarkable rise of Tanzanian football powerhouse, Simba SC.

"The superb display by Simba not only showed that the East African region was taking huge strides in regards to the number one sport but also confirmed that Kenyan football is struggling and needs proper management," Nyamweya said as per Nairobi News.

"During my time (as FKF boss), Tanzania was no match for Kenya," Nyamweya recalled. "We were rated as the best team in the African region and could not be compared to them even a mile."

Nyamweya firmly believes that with his leadership, Kenya will regain its status as the preeminent footballing nation in East Africa.

One of Nyamweya's key insights is that Kenyan clubs struggle on the continental stage primarily due to a lack of planning.

"Our clubs are simply struggling because we don’t have a competitive league," he asserted.

"Tanzania’s league is way better than ours, and if you look at the Simba squad against Al Ahly, the starting XI had more than six foreign players. That clearly shows you that Simba is attractive because of their well-organised league,' he emphasised.

Kenyan clubs' consistent struggles on the continental stage have been a matter of concern for football enthusiasts. This season, Kakamega Homeboyz's disappointing debut in the CAF Confederation Cup, culminating to a heavy loss to Libyan side Al Hilal, is just one example.

Nyamweya's return to the FKF presidency could mark a turning point for these struggling clubs, with his commitment to addressing the structural issues hindering their success.

While Nyamweya has announced his candidacy, reports suggest that other potential contenders are also eyeing the coveted FKF presidency.

Among them are Sam Ocholla, secretary general of Gor Mahia, Hussein Mohammed, CEO of Extreme Sports, and former Harambee Stars midfielder Sam Owino, popularly known as Kempes.

The upcoming election is poised to be a closely watched battle for the future of Kenyan football, with Nyamweya determined to secure his return to power.

It is worth noting that Nyamweya had previously served as the FKF president from 2011 to 2016 but failed to defend his seat when incumbent Nick Mwendwa emerged victorious.

Mwendwa subsequently defended his presidency in October 2020, securing a significant majority of the votes.

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