Kenyan football has been in the limbo following the nine-month suspension by Fifa,  which was lifted after Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba assured that there was a road map to ensure normalcy returns in the game.

The CS reinstated Football Kenya Federation, which had been disbanded, as one of the conditions the world governing body had set  for it to readmit Kenya into international football.

On its part, Fifa did well to extend an olve branch to the Kenya government by sending  a delegattion, alongside the Confederation of African Football, to the country to sort out issues in relation to the nine-month ban that ended November 28, 2022.

After the ban was lifted, Namwamba asked Fifa to consider reinstating the country’s senior national team to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.

Kenya was grouped in Pool C alongside Burundi, Namibia and Cameroon, but was banned  by FIFA in February 2022.

The quest by the CS for Harambee Stars to participate in the qualifiers may have been overtaken by events after the team missed the opening two rounds of action.

However, there is a glimmer of hope that the lifting of the ban provides the much-required goodwill for revival of the sport—if those responsible do not revert to the bad habits that got us there.

Namwamba has assured that the current regime will not meddle in the management of football but will  concentrate on an enabling environment for the game.

We also believe that Fifa means well for Kenyan football after approving a Technical Centre that will be constructed at Kasarani.

This will be a major boost to the country and will be akin to borrowing a leaf from successful countries in football such as Morocco which reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup in Qatar.

The impending development will no doubt instill expertise in our coaches, and referees besides moulding the youth at the grassroots to professionals who shall add value to the national team.

It must, however, be emphasised that development of football cannot be left in the hands of FKF alone. It should be a collective effort involving fans, FKF and county and national governments.