A dejected fan after CAF took away Kenya's rights to host the Confederation of African Nations (CHAN) tournament. [PHOTO/Sharinho Didier]
After Kenya was denied the rights to host the continental CHAN tournament, there has been a lot of blame games with everyone exonerating himself from blame.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) was quick to point out that it did everything in its capacity to see the country host the event.
"The federation is of the view that it did everything humanly possible to ensure that CHAN 2018 became a reality,” said a statement.
“Lack of up-to standard infrastructure to host the competition and the need to improve the existing ones, meant that Kenya would inevitably play second fiddle to better placed countries that have invested heavily on infrastructure development over the years,” the statement adds.
Football fans joined the discussion, some blaming Mwendwa's federation of lacking the knife edge to tackle the mess in Kenyan football while others blamed the national government of lacking the goodwill.
Sharinho Didier, a fan, said:
The problem is we keep fighting ourselves not knowing the tasks ahead of us. It started with Nyamweya fighting Copa Cocacola and Sakata ball. FKF led by the National office fought extreme sports for over 2 years. Fighting with KPL instead of organising yourselves well... I personally will blame him and the Kenyan government for the mess and shameful act they have shown the Nation.
A bitter Virginia Vijoh said:
"FKF President and his cronies had hoped to embezzle Ksh4.2b approved by Cabinet yesterday for CHAN and millions that were to be sent by CAF but their plans have been quashed. No CHAN. By the way what has he achieved since elected? Chasing away Supersports? Friendlies with Iran? Paying national team players 700/-? Or he want to take credit of Starlets (the team we had way before he came under patronage of Immediate former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru?). Mwendwa pledged to step down if 2018 CHAN hosting rights is withdrawn. He should do the necessary. Let Wakilisha mtaa yako guy Mr.Hussein Mohammed take over. Mwendwa can go back Kariobangi sharks na okumbi wake."
But Kevin Isaac saw the problem to lie with the government. He exenorated the FKF president saying Mwendwa had little to play and that the role of availing resources to prepare the facilities rested with the national government.
"The truth is that us Kenyans are cowards. Am among the people who really wanted us to host CHAN. Both for economic reasons and for the love of the game. We all know who is your blame, Wario and the government let us down. Did Nick Mwendwa have a role? Yes, lobbying the government and the CAF secretariat. But there is so much one can do. Can anyone even prove the below-budget funds we finally released? If yes, the least we can hope for is our stadiums to be improved. Although I highly doubt hata hizo zitamalizwa. Kenyans need to be more angry at incompetence."
Ogre Ogah Ogwe seemed to have the same thoughts, saying that the federation did not have any money to build anything.
"Sio Mwendwa ako na budget ya kujenga stadiums. Hio ni kazi ya govt (It's not Mwendwa who has the budget to build stadiums. That is the role of the government.)" he posted.