Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

The underdeveloped Mathare slum area has been making negative headlines due to the high rate of drug abuse and crime-related activities that have plagued the locality for ages.

However, police constable Stephen Ominde has gradually changed the narrative in the country’s second-largest informal settlement by implementing talent development as an effective method to reduce the crime rate in the region over the last three years.

Unlike his colleagues in the system, who reportedly resort to excessive force when dealing with both hardcore criminals and petty offenders in Mlango Kubwa, Mathare Valley, Bondeni, Kosovo, and the rest of Mathare Constituency, Stephen Ominde has made a name for himself by recruiting young boys from the neighbourhood into his Mathari Hospital FC squad. The full team is preparing for the 2023/2024 Football Kenya Federation Division Two League season scheduled for October.

With support from Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, under the administration of Alice Githumbi, Ominde manages a comprehensive talent development system that trains boys in various age categories.

Mathari Hospital Admin Alice Githumbi, head coach Stephen Ominde, and other Mathari Hospital FC Executive Committee members have pooled resources for football development in Mathare. The mental health facility boasts three robust sides: the U-13, U-16, and the senior team, all ready to compete in the FKF Division Two League this coming season.

Speaking to People Sport, the towering man in uniform revealed that, although the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital management has agreed to support his sporting activities within the hospital, he is sometimes compelled to dip into his own pockets to propel Mathari Hospital FC’s progress.
“Most of the time, I use my limited resources to run the team.

I currently host several players in my house. I believe in youth empowerment through sports, especially football,” said Ominde.

Initially, earning the players’ trust in Mathare was not easy for Ominde due to his police status. However, things began to improve as players from distant areas started joining his team.

“Starting off was challenging. Attracting the boys to my side was tough as they suspected I was setting a trap for them as a police officer. Eventually, they realized that my intentions were good, pulling them out of the abyss of drug addiction and criminal engagement by keeping them occupied with a ball at their feet daily.”

The journey spanning three years has been successful, and Ominde, along with the entire Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital management, now proudly owns a team participating in a Football Kenya Federation-approved league.

On behalf of the entire squad, Mathari Hospital FC captain Gilbert Ojuka told People Sport that the team is ready for the FKF Division Two League, set to commence later this month.

“We are prepared for the Division Two League. The team has been training diligently, and the new signings are gradually adapting and embracing our culture. Together as a unit, we are also gearing up to contend for the Governor’s Cup and see how things unfold in the coming days,” the soft-spoken Ojuka said.

Speaking about the challenges faced by the entire Mathari Hospital FC, Gilbert Ojuka said, “Challenges are always present. For instance, most of us are young and unemployed. Some are the sole breadwinners for their families, and it is challenging to balance family responsibilities and football, as we are not on a formal payroll.

Nonetheless, we express our gratitude to the hospital management for stepping in and supporting us in various way.”