Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Friday flagged off the Kenya National Amputee football team who departed Nairobi for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for a regional tournament.
The National team, dubbed Amputee Stars, is ranked 11th in the world after beating the odds to finish 12th out of the 24 nations that took part in the World Cup in Mexico in October and November 2018.
Sonko funded the team’s trip to Dar to participate in the East and Central Africa Amputee Football (CECAAF) championships that will start on Saturday June 22 and ends on June 30.
Once again, the team received two sets of jerseys branded Team Sonko on the insistence of the 11 players and nine officials who make up the traveling party.
Last year, Sonko rescued the team after it was abandoned by the ministry, having to go without meals for hours even after making Kenya proud.
They had to stage a sit-in at the Sports ministry’s Kencom House headquarters to draw attention to their plight.
In the wee hours of Friday morning the team departed by bus for Dar, something Sonko rebuked his staff for.
“Why are they traveling by bus? They should have travelled by air. Someone is going to be punished for this. The team should not spend hours in a bus when going to represent Kenya,” Sonko said.
Before departing, Sonko handed the team two sets of uniforms, balls and Sh800, 000 for their allowances.
“You did us proud in Mexico although you did not succeed in bringing home the trophy. You are not going to represent Sonko. Sonko is just a sponsor. You are going to represent the country and all Kenyans,” he told them after learning the team’s jerseys were branded Team Sonko.
Team captain Kevin Lumbasi said they will strive to make Kenya proud.
“We are going to try everything humanely possible to come with the trophy,” Lumbasi said.
The team’s and CECAAF treasurer Polycarp Mboya said the team is made up of young local-based players selected from universities who have shown great potential.
The Governor said he will push Sports CS Amina Mohamed to chip in and support the team.