By Simon Juma
Laikipia University
When the word “Kenya” enters someone’s ears, the person will at first be like, “Kenya is a good place to be.” Those are words from outsiders and their perspectives. They see Kenya through beautiful images of wildlife, long-distance runners winning marathons, and a peaceful country on the map of Africa. But when you look at the people who we call Kenyans, they say Kenya is a good place, yes, but in their explanation, they will start to complain.
They love their country deeply, yet they carry frustrations inside them. And if you are listening keenly, you will sympathize with what you heard from them, because their complaints come from real daily struggles.
Kenya is a big nation, but not only in terms of land or population, but also in the dreams of the people who always dream of a big future, hoping of becoming big and famous people in the upcoming future through their talents. Every child in a village grows up believing that one day his or her name will be known.
In Kenya, we have so many talents, even others we can’t tell because they have never been given a platform. People are born with such talent, hoping those talents will bring something to the table or maybe bring bread to them. For many families, talent is not just about fame, it is about survival, it is about putting food on the table and changing the story of their home.
In many parts and villages in Kenya, you will find that they have started their own teams, with aims not to be the same after a while, thus playing in styles never shown before, especially in football. These teams are formed under trees, in school fields, and in open grounds with no proper goalposts.
The young people contribute small amounts of money to buy a ball and uniforms. In Trans-Nzoia County, we have teams like Siata FC and Coast FC. These names may not be known on national television, but in their villages, they are heroes. Players try their best, hoping that one day a scout, a coach, or a leader will notice them and give them a chance to go to the next level.
They play even though nothing is on the table from such talent, but they tend to only play for fun, not expecting funds, but only to make fans happy. On weekends, the whole village gathers to watch, shouting and cheering as if it were a final match in a big stadium. In those villages is where the old and true talent is hidden. But due to poor infrastructure, they are not happy about anything from what they always do.
There are no good pitches, no training equipment, no sports academies, and no one to mentor them. We do have the best players ever known in the world, players who could compete with anyone if given the chance. The thing is that their talent is not shown on television to be seen, just like football lovers watch the English Premier League and others in common. If their games were also broadcasted, Kenyans would be shocked by the quality in the grassroots.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” This saying should guide our leaders. The Kenyan government should step into every village and look for those young boys and girls who are willing to show off their talents to the world. It is not too late to build sports centres in every county, to employ coaches at the ward level, and to organize tournaments that start from the village and go to the national level. Talent identification should not only happen in Nairobi, but in all corners of the country.
When you go to Siata village in Trans-Nzoia, you will be surprised to hear an old man telling you that he has been playing football for more than 20 years, but still, he is stuck in the mud of poverty without any property gained from his talent. His story is not unique. It is the story of many Kenyan youths who gave their youth to football, athletics, volleyball, and rugby, but ended up with nothing because the system never supported them. He still has the passion, but his body is tired, and his dreams are fading.
To make our talent our cash cow, the government, including leaders, should stop misusing national funds to lavish their lives and start funding those small teams. Corruption and wastage of public money have killed many dreams. If that money was invested in sports, it would create employment, reduce crime, and give hope to the youth.
Because if they do fund these teams, those teams can go far and never come back as failures, because their money bags will fill the banks, making them enjoy life by seeing how talents can pay. A talented player who is paid well will build a house for his parents, educate his siblings, and inspire other young people in his village.
In conclusion, talent pays, and it really pays very well in Europe and other developed countries. There, a young player from a small village can become a millionaire because the system supports him from a young age. We have to ask ourselves, why is talent not paying that well in Kenya? When we answer this question honestly and take action, Kenya is going to go far. We will not only produce great sportsmen and women, but we will also build a better nation where every talent counts.
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