Murunga axed in a 15-man National Rugby TeamBy Samson Ateka, Nairobi, Sept 18 2007 Veteran eighth-man Paul "Pablo" Murunga will miss the Africa Cup semifinals against Uganda in Antananarivo on September 26. Murunga who captains Kenya Cup League champions, KCB, was the surprise exclusion in the team. He was relegated to the non-travelling reserve team as Team manager Wangila Simiyu announced the Antananarivo-bound outfit. A team of 34 was whittled down to 23 players who jet out on Sunday morning aboard a Madagascar Airline plane. Coach Michael "Tank" Otieno is away in France for a refresher course coinciding with the Rugby World Cup (courtesy of the French government) and will be back in time to accompany the boys. Team manager Wangila Simiyu clarified that there was nothing sinister in Murunga’s case and that "he was still part and parcel of their future plans." Murunga has been instrumental in the wins against Morocco and Cameroon in the Northern Pool ‘A Africa Cup qualifiers that culminated into Kenya ’s maiden CAR Cup semi appearance. Impala’s Paul Oimbo has replaced Murunga in the number eight position. Skipper Daniel Kiptoo retains his prop position and so is KCB’s Edwin Alubaka who will start at lock. Joel Ng’ang’a of Quins comes in to fill the void left behind by Derrick Wamalwa at prop. Wamalwa is in France where he signed with a Division two side. Kiptoo said they were pressing to rule the continent. "If we win this Cup, then we will be ranked second after (South Africa’s) Springboks because we have beaten Namibia who are in the World Cup. "It’s been a long journey to the Cup semis and we are leaving nothing to chance," Kiptoo said. The core of the sevens team speedsters make up the entire back including Khayange brothers- Collins and Humphrey. Lavin Asego is at fly-half while Victor Sudi and his brother Neto Simiyu have also been named in the starting line up. KCB’s prolific kicker Peter Mutai has been preferred at scrumhalf against Moses Kola. THE TEAM: 1. Daniel Kiptoo [Captain) 2. Edwin Alubaka 3. Joel Ng’ang’a 4. Vincent Ong’era, 4. Mike Aung (Nondescripts). 5. Anthony Ogot (KCB) 6. Arnold Odera 7. Andrew Amonde 8. Paul Oimbo 9. Peter Mutai (Kenya Commercial Bank), 10. Lavin Asego 11. Victor Sudi 12. Biko Adema (Nondescript) 13. Humphrey Khayange 14. Collins Injera 15. Neto Simiyu. RESERVES: Lewis Olaka, George Mbaye, Michael Kimani (, Horace Otieno (Mwamba), Arthur Shikwe, Innocent Simiyu. Officials: Michael Otieno (Head coach), Edward Kinyany, Charles Ngovi (Assistant coaches), Simiyu Wangila (Team manager), Christopher Makacha (Physiotherapist). Source: Standard |
Football loses as Mumias packs up |
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By Eric Mandati, Mumias July 15 2007
When Mumias Sugar Company announced the disbandment of its club, a fortnight ago, the swift action must have surprised many football fans.It was surprising because the timing was wrong, coming when the local league is starved of stiff competition and needs such outfits as Mumias Football Club.It was such a big blow to the football fraternity once again that one of the major sides in the Premier League had to be disbanded. Mumias Sugar being one of the best funded corporate clubs in the league added a lot of value to the level of competition. Their sudden exit, with the company management citing wrangles and confusion in the administration of the Kenya Football Federation (KFF), was not going to help matters.
A flashback 10 years ago and one realises how low the levels of the Kenyan game have sunk.By the way, who would have imagined that AFC Leopards (popularly known as "Ingwe") would one day be silent and almost forgotten? It was in fact an abomination to imagine Kenya football without mentioning "Ingwe" and their archrivals Gor Mahia alias "Ko Gallo". Such was the dominance of the two clubs that players from both teams would form the bulk of the national team, Harambee Stars. In other countries, the government takes the initiative to salvage "sinking" clubs, either financially or otherwise, because football is a mass movement game all over the world. It is disappointing, therefore, that in less than five years, such top clubs in the Premier League as Rivatex, Nzoia, Oserian Festac, KCC, among others, had to be disbanded. There is the question of community clubs which also raises many questions. Did Shabana, Leopards and Re-Union, the largest crowd pullers at stadia, suffer the axe of relegation? Measures should have been put in place to cushion these community clubs because their fall from grace was gradual and not by a stroke of the pen.Few people, for example, would recall that Oserian Fastac (Naivasha) were once Premier League champions, and went on to fight gallantly before losing to Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia and thus miss out on the Africa Champions League group stage by a whisker. These teams were no pushovers and added a sparkle to the league. Are institutional clubs the panacea to Kenya’s football woes? If so, then why are they folding up too soon? So what next, if for instance (God forbid) East African Breweries Ltd decides that it has had enough of the KFF drama and withdrew its sponsorship to Tusker FC? Is it judicious to leave the game entirely in the hands of institutional clubs? It is high time we embraced the community clubs, but formally with registered members who shall have a say in the running of the clubs. This will make it difficult for those who use the clubs as a springboard to politics to look elsewhere. He who pays the piper calls the tune and therefore those who fund the clubs will run them in any manner they deem fit.As Leopards, Gor Mahia and Mathare United have proven over the years that, with effective management, community clubs will give their institutional counterparts a run for their money. Indeed, history shows that the former — even with their reliance on handouts from well wishers — have won the league most times. Source: Standard |
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Government to take over Bukhungu Stadium
By Peter Atsiaya, Nairobi, Tuesday, 25 April 2007 "We have approached the Local Authorities to hand over the running of the stadiums to us," said the Starehe MP. The minister, who is on a tour of Western Kenya, was speaking to the Press in Kisumu town on Wednesday. He added that Local Authorities in the country had abandoned most of the stadiums. Mumias, Chemelil, Sony and Nzoia Sugar companies have maintained their stadiums, which are being used by their clubs featuring in the premier league. He explained that the ministry would not force the councils to hand over the stadiums to the board."We will not use force to take away management of the stadiums from the civic bodies," he explained.
Kamanda said that the board would use the stadiums to host various sporting activities to generate money. |