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Last Updated: 3/2/2010
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Prime Minister Raila Odinga has expressed his disappointment following Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga's failed bid to play in the English premier League with Manchester City.
The Prime Minister recounted how he put in a strong appeal to the British government om Monday night and managed to secure a work permit for Mariga but the 23-years old player could not move to Man City because the Football Association (FA) transfer deadline had just expired.
The Premier who was addressing a press conference in Treasury building office, however, said that all was not lost as the as the FA president had assured him that Mariga could join the FA in May this year when another transfer window opens.
‘'The FA President Mr. David Triesman assured me that with a UK work permit now in his hands, Mariga could join FA in May when another transfer window opens''. He said.
Raila said that Mariga's failure to join Man City hit the country hard adding he had received a number of calls from concerned Kenyans who felt the government should intervene.
He noted that a delegation from the civil society and human rights was the first to go public with their demand that his office should do something and help Mariga attain the UK work permit.
"I would like to assure soccer fans and all Kenyans that together with the British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Mcaire,I have done what I could to get Mariga into Man City FC and all is not lost. The Premier said.
Raila added that ‘'I spent a minimum of three hours on phone talking to Gordon Brown‘s office, the Africa Office, office of Culture and Sports, the Home office, and to Mariga himself''.
He decried the low football standards in the country and called on all the stakeholders to come in and assist the government in its effort to improve standards.
‘'The government requires the support of all the stakeholders especially the media .If the media continues to poison football fans coaches against then we will not go far''. He remarked.
He assured football lovers in the country that the government will invest more in football for meaningful results to be realized.
The Premier also said that Kenya was ready to host the Africa cup in 2016 as the government had put in place mechanisms of upgrading all stadiums.
The PM acknowledged weaknesses in soccer management in the country which he attributed to wrangling in the national football governing body, Football Kenya Limited (FKL) and Kenya Football Federation (KFF).
Earlier, the Chairman of the Kenya Football Coaches Association Mr. Ricky Solomon had appealed to the PM to disband the two bodies that had failed to manage football in the country.
The Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission Hassan Omar said that his organization was unhappy with Mariga's predicament owing to wrangles that had dogged our football denying the youth an opportunity to develop their talent.
PMPS
Tue, Feb 02, 2010
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