When Ababu Namwamba assumed office as the Cabinet Secretary for Sports on October 27, 2022, Kenya found itself trapped in a football crisis with no clear end in sight.
His predecessor, Ambassador Amina Mohamed, had clamped down on the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), dismantling the secretariat and installing a caretaker committee due to allegations of corruption at Kandanda House.
FIFA, the global football governing body with a zero-tolerance policy for government interference in football matters, responded by suspending Kenya from all football-related activities. Consequently, Kenya missed out on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Namwamba, a distinguished lawyer with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Laws degree in International Law from American University Washington College of Law, was fully aware of the monumental challenge ahead.
His top priority was to lift the FIFA suspension on Kenya, and he wasted no time. He began by reinstating the FKF and its Secretariat.
The Sports CS then engaged in fruitful talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, their photos circulating on social media.
On November 28, 2022, the ban was lifted, allowing Kenya to kick a ball once more, just one month into Namwamba’s tenure.
Kenyan fans eagerly awaited their national team’s return to action two years later when Harambee Stars played South Sudan in an international friendly at the Kasarani Stadium on September 12, 2023.
Remarkably, in less than a year in office, the former Budalang’i MP achieved what seemed impossible—he guided Harambee Stars to the 2027 AFCON finals without them even playing a match.
Namwamba secured the hosting rights for the continental showpiece, alongside neighboring nations Tanzania and Uganda. He was in Cairo with his regional counterparts to witness CAF President Patrice Motsepe make the historic announcement.
Kenya has participated in the AFCON finals seven times, with its first appearance in 1972 under the guidance of German tactician Eckhard Krautzun. While Congo claimed the championship title that year, Kenya’s journey concluded in the group stage.
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Throughout the years, Kenya has made appearances in the AFCON finals in 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004, and 2019, consistently facing elimination in the group stage.
Notably, only seven individuals, both local and foreign coaches, had previously taken Kenya to the AFCON finals, including Reinhard Fabisch (1988), Mohammed Kheri (1990), Gerry Saurer (1992), Jacob “Ghost” Mulee (2004), and Sebastien Migne (2019).
Ababu Namwamba now stands as the eighth individual in human history to guide Harambee Stars to the AFCON finals. What sets his achievement apart is that he accomplished this historic feat without the team ever setting foot on the pitch.
Namwamba’s tenure as Sports Minister is not just promising; it’s already yielding tangible results within a year.
It is my sincere hope that he will receive the necessary support to elevate Kenyan sports, especially football, to the continental, if not global, stage—a mission that requires collective effort from all stakeholders.
The author is a digital sports editor with seven years of experience in print, digital, and broadcast media.
