Shame as Kenya's Amputee Football Team Spends the Night on the Floor at Sport Ministry's Offices

Kenya's Ministry of Sports is on the spot once again after the National Amputee Football team spent Thursday night on the floor at the ministry's offices in Nairobi.

The team arrived in the country after taking part in Amputee World Cup tournament held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

After landing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the team proceeded to the ministry's offices at Kencom house in Nairobi to demand for their unpaid allowances totalling Sh2 million.

On arrival at the ministry's offices, no senior official turned up to receive the team consisting of 15 players and four officials. Cabinet Secretary Rashid Achesa and Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia were no where to be seen.

The seemingly exhausted players, whose trip from Mexico to Nairobi was punctuated by a 21-hour delay due to a mix up in the booking of flight by the government, decided to pitch tent at the offices with hopes of getting help.

“The players’ agenda was to present the ministry of sports with the trophy and the report from their achievement in the just concluded world cup tournament."

“The players are also pleading with the ministry of sports to pay their allowances so that they can travel back to their families whom they have been away from for the past two months." 

“Upon speaking to a few ministry officials today we were told nothing can be done today because the sports PS and CS are not in office and matters will be looked into once they are back. The players have since resolved to spend the night at MOSCA until their plight is looked into,” the team’s captain Dalmas Otieno says.

Overall, Kenya finished 12th out of 24 countries who took part in the global tournament won by Angola. The Kenyan team lost to Turkey and Russia before thrashing United States, Japan and Liberia.

Among African countries, the national side finished second  behind the tournament's champions, Angola.

During the tournament, the Kenyan team faced financial problems and survived on cash donated to them by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.

“Most players were hosted in Nairobi by their fellow players and team doctor and entirely depended upon their hosts for basics like transport, food and accommodation,” Dalmas says.