Kenyans are interesting people. When Kenya was winning games at CHAN 2024 tournament and beating teams like Morocco (yes, Morocco, a team that many felt impossible to touch), everybody was cheering, pledging loyalty, wrapping themselves in patriotism, and even praising coach Benni McCarthy as the messiah of football that we had all been waiting for.
But fast-forward to just recently: Kenya lost 3–1 to Gambia, and suddenly the same people who were cheering for McCarthy have turned salty.
Now the narrative is: “How can a coach earning KES8 million ($63K)* a month afford to lose to a country of only 2.7 million people? Editor’s note: This figure was dismissed by the Football Kenya Federation in March.
“Jameni Wakenya (dear Kenyans), why the double standards? You can’t love the team only when it wins and then crucify it when it stumbles.
And the funniest part? When Harambee Stars win, it’s “our team, Kenya’s pride.” But when they lose, the story changes to “Ah, hiyo ni team ya Wajaluo na Waluhyia, imejaa tu izo tribes mbili” (Ah, the team is composed of only two tribes). Omera (young man), let’s stop this nonsense. Football doesn’t know tribe; it knows skill, discipline, and strategy.
Those so-called “small countries” that we dismiss, like Gambia, are approaching football from a completely different dimension. They don’t measure success by population size or GDP. They invest, they plan, they nurture, and they show up with fire. Meanwhile, we keep thinking numbers alone guarantee victory. Tafadhali (please), let’s stop fooling ourselves.
Kenyans, let’s learn instead of criticising harshly. Patriotism isn’t only when the flag is flying high after a win; it’s also when you hold the team accountable constructively, support them in defeat, and demand better systems without invoking tribalism.
Elphas Saizi isn’t just another digital strategist — he’s a writer, creator, and the voice behind The Mind Mesh Podcast. This post first dropped on his Facebook page, but it was too good not to share. And here’s the thing: you could be the next Elphas. If sport is your thing and you can serve it raw — no sugarcoating, no fluff — then we want you. Shoot us an email at editor@sportsafrica.net and step into a fast-growing tribe of misfits, radicals, and mavericks who live and breathe sport.
