It is exactly one week before the kick-off of the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) football bonanza being co-hosted by Kenya and its East African neighbours of Uganda and Tanzania.

From all angles, this is a major sports convention as it is the first time that a soccer tournament of continental proportions is being held in any of the three States.

The event was initially projected to be held in February this year, but was postponed because host Nations had not adequately prepared their respective stadiums to meet the internationally set standards as outlined in the FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) guidelines.

Better late than never, so said the wise of old. It is both a relief and a great milestone that the event is being held, anyway. That is good enough.

However, now that the continental soccer extravaganza is finally here, it is only prudent that we – the Kenyan people – display the best of our mannerisms.

Unfortunately, those of our compatriots in the political class are already behaving badly. As badly as the characters in the British comedy ‘Men Behaving Badly.’

Our leaders are on the rooftops of their expensive vehicles, the whole day long, shuttling insults at each other with abandon.

One would have wished that our politicians could tone down the rhetoric and epithets as we welcome visitors to our country.

But that is only wishful thinking. Our politicians have never been the barometers of morality, integrity and any form of good manners.

It is very likely that they are about to change. It is therefore not useful to waste time expecting anything positive or constructive from Kenya’s political actors.

It therefore behoves the rest of us to be of good conduct at all times – whether we have visitors or not.

It is upon us to first and foremost accord our national football team, Benni McCarthy, his technical team and players unflinching support as they prepare to face the rest of Africa in the continental soccer fiesta.

McCarthy is a global legend in the world of football. The South African tactician is an achiever of no mean repute.

In his previous years as a player, McCarthy has won the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy with Portuguese side Porto, and has won that country’s top league title with the same club.

He also won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with his national team, Bafana Bafana.

He has steered former English Premier League champions Manchester United as the strikers’ coach and managed top South African clubs AmaZulu and Cape Town City.

Thus, Benni McCarthy is a man of enviable credentials on matters to do with football, be it on the African continent or globally.

It therefore goes without saying that we accord McCarthy all the support he requires.

Kenya has not fared well in continental football. Even qualifying to participate in the previously biennial,l and now annual, has been difficult. We have a grand opportunity to cure that malady.

In the last three weeks, some forces within Kenya’s football fraternity have been bad-mouthing the national football team head coach and even casting aspersions on his ability to shepherd the Harambee Stars.

Some of the concerns raised were pegged on claims that McCarthy had sidelined some very good players from the squad he picked for the CHAN tournament.

Be as it may, it is important for all Kenyans to let the coach be judged by his results, not by our individual whims and temperaments.

A country whose performance in football has been below par for far too long cannot afford to cherry-pick.

We have to place our faith in our technical team, the management of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and rally our support behind Benni McCarthy wholesome.

We are being called on a national duty. That we must deliver without any form of pussy-footing. We are therefore obligated to ensure that McCarthy delivers. That is a duty we must never run away from.

The author is a Revise Editor with the People Daily newspaper.