Sports CS assures cricket icon Odumbe as he appoints him talent search coach after learning of his tribulations

Kenya’s cricket icon Maurice Odumbe who has been suffering from depression was in utter elation after meeting with Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba at the Kasarani Stadium.

The meeting was hatched by Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) president James Waindi who made the proposal for a meeting with the minister in an attempt to salvage the situation for the former national team captain.

Upon meeting the legendary Odumbe, CS Ababu felt sorry and wondered why the former global star would be neglected by the cricket society and previous regimes.

“Odumbe you are a great man and anyone who tells you otherwise will be lying and you have a lot to offer to the cricket will be back just the same way we are reviving the other sports, cricket is our next target. We need you (Odumbe) to play a role of advisory nature of a role that will be within talent development. You should be attached to the Kenya Academy of Sports to help the cricket revival in the country, being a liason for us with cricket federation,you can as well help us to establish a national structure,” Ababu candidly told Odumbe during the meeting.

In an interview with People Sport after his chat with the eloquent Minister, Odumbe expressed his joy terming it as a surprise.

“To say the truth, Christmas has come early for me, I did not expect such a thing to happen and I would like to sincerely thank him (CS Ababu) for this kind show. The CS was open to me and I think the future looks bright. I am so happy. He has promised me a job in the Talanta Hela initiative under the Kenya Academy of Sports and that means there is hope for me and for our cricket, we just need to follow the directions of CS Ababu,” Odumbe grinned.

Odumbe was a key figure for Kenya as a player, making his debut for the country on 4 June 1990 against Bangladesh at Amstelveen at the ICC Trophy, scoring 41 and taking 1/26.

Despite his big name and taking Kenyan cricket to greater heights, the 52-year -old Odumbe has been living in abject poverty and sources say he had suffered depression after seeing his life go to the south.

His meeting with CS Ababu Namwamba is a bream of hope the former star having promised him a job.

CS Ababu further revealed that he is in conversation with former cricket players Steve Tikolo who is now the head coach for Nigeria National team and Martin Suji who is taking charge of Rwanda National Cricket team.

“Our legends have a central role to play in raising Kenyan sports to a whole new dimension. I have reached out to cricket greats Maurice Odumbe, Steve Tikolo and Martin Suji to help revive this sport where Kenya once rolled with the worlds finest,” Ababu said.