Pricked by inability of Kenyan national football team Harambee Stars and clubs to match Africa’s giants like Ivory Coast, Senegal and Ghana, former Cabinet Secretary Eliud says he has set out to address the pitfalls that have seen the sport in the country lag behind the best on continent.

A football development blueprint Mr Owalo shared with Tell Media shows that the veteran politician who recently quit President William Ruto’s government to concentrate on politics, wants to “catch them young” – a reference to identification and development of talents at a young age – to ensure a continuous and ceaseless supply of talented footballers to clubs who will in turn refine them for national duty.

Owalo says he has identified grassroots tournaments as a springboard of talents, hence his desire to invest more in age-group football.

Speaking to Tell Media after watching AFC Leopards versus Kariobangi Sharks match at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, which Leopards won 1-0, Owalo advised the government to use sports as a platform for job creation and as a source of livelihoods for the youth, especially in informal settlements such as Kibera, Kawangware, Mathare and Kayole in Nairobi.

Owalo, who has announced a desire to run for the country’s presidency in 2027, says he was particularly impressed by a slum-based lower division team – BB Bread from Kayole – that knocked out Kenya’s most successful and celebrated clubs AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia from the Mozzart Cup competition.  

BB Bread FC is a fifth-tier side from Kayole and was previously known as Kayole Young Stars FC. The winner of the knock-out represents Kenya in Confederation of African Football (CAF) Club Competition.

Owalo’s football blue-print is informed by the success of women’s football teams that have in recent years been posting impressive results at continental and regional levels despite being poorly resourced by the government and national football federation.

The successful women’s teams, rugby teams and athletics have roots in school games. However, Owalo says he wants to look beyond schools for revival of local football he says began slipping into the doldrums towards the end of the 1990s.

“Successful sportsmen in the country including Ferdnand Omanyala, the Khayanges and former footballers who played for AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia, Tusker and the national team have built the best houses in Kenya today. Football should not treated as a pastime. It is gainful employment that has lifted families out of poverty.”

Therefore, he says, the government should make strategic investment in modern sports infrastructure and strengthen collaboration between sports and education sectors. He cited athletics, rugby, volleyball and women’s football as models that can be extrapolated for the development of sports as a viable industry.

The former Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and government Efficiency in the Executive Office of the President, says investment in sports would not only enhance sportsmen performance but also stimulate economic growth, foster innovation and promote social inclusion across the nation.

Owalo who recently sponsored Ramadhan Cup in Kibra Sub-County of Nairobi County emphasised the need for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to sports development, called on national and county governments to work with sports federations for the good of sports.

Owalo, an associate management consultant expert, says that, by investing strategically in sports infrastructure and fostering public-private partnership, Kenya will unlock new opportunities for economic growth and regional unity.

Holistic development will cement Kenya’s regional reputation as a powerhouse sports. Kenya is the undisputed African athletics power-house, far ahead of occasional rivals Ethiopia and Uganda.

The former Information, Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary who has been at the heart of football leadership vowed to continue supporting sports right from the grassroots.

He is the patron of Kenyan Premier League side Gor Mahia FC. He observes that Kenya will regain its regional superiority only if proper and consistent measures are put in place. He is remembered for purchasing a bus for Gor Mahia has consistently supported the team.

Immediately after he was appointed to the cabinet by President William Ruto, Owalo started interacting with players from various clubs with the objective of addressing the challenges that affect the development of sports.

He has also kept supporting former players who been languishing in poverty after bringing glory to the country during their heydays. He has also supported their associations financially.

He has been a regular visitor at Gor and AFC training camps ahead of their derbies. He donates funds to the teams for preparations of derbies.

• A Tell Media report / By John Ashihndu