Kimanzi, Shikanda back Namwamba to streamline sports in Kenya

Former Harambee Stars head coach Francis Kimanzi has lauded President William Ruto's decision to appoint Ababu Namwamba as the new Sports Cabinet Secretary saying he will sort out the current football conundrum in the country.

President Ruto nominated Ababu Namwamba for the Cabinet Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs position on September 27, and is now set to take over from Amina Mohammed once given the nod by the National Assembly.

Namwamba in the last regime held was the Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He makes a return to the sports docket after almost a decade.

In an interview with Citizen Digital, The Ex Wazito FC coach expressed his confidence on Namwamba saying football is now in the safe hands.

“I have no doubt that Namwamba will perform as Sports CS. He is a youthful minister and very professional.  Having served in the same position in 2012, he has the needed experience and I expect him to move with speed and end the football leadership differences we are in.

“I understand that the sports docket deals with all sports in the country but as a senior football stakeholder I would like him to start with streamlining the football game which is most loved sport not only in the country but in the world at large.”

FIFA suspended Kenya from international football after the outgoing Amina expelled the Nick Mwendwa-led Football Kenya Federation and appointed a caretaker committee to run football in the country.

Kimanzi also said football stakeholders are looking forward to working closely with the new CS to strengthen and sanitize football at every level.

“We should rally behind the new CS, give him support and share our experiences to help him reform the sports sector. We are the ones who understand football issues and we should be in forefront to work with him closely.”

Kimanzi was sacked out as Harambee Stars coach on October 20, 2020 only a year after replacing Frenchman Sebastien Migne.

Bring light

AFC Leopards Chairman Dan Shikanda is also excited at Namwamba's nomination.

“I want to thank the President for nominating Ababu Namwamba as the Sports Cabinet Secretary. The previous governments have not been going for expertise in this docket but now we are hopeful.

“Namwamba has been in sports for long, he is youthful and he is even the one who came up with Sports Act 2013 to regulate sports activities and sports sector in the country,” said Shikanda.

He continued: He is just taking over from where he left from 2013 and I have confidence he has what it takes to bring light in football in the country. He also comes from a region where football is taken seriously taken. With his full focus then many youths will benefit from football, something he needs to deal with as a priority.”