Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario to resign over the shambolic handling of the national soccer team's travel to Cape Verde last week, which led to the team being bundled out of the race to the 2018 World Cup qualification.
Raila, an ardent soccer fan also wants the country's football management body overhauled to give chance for people who have vision for football success.
Speaking to the press yesterday in Kisumu after launching two motor boats to boost tourism in Lake Victoria, Raila expressed disappointment with the way the national team was handled, having to reach Cape Verde three hours to the match.
"The fixture between Harambee Stars and Cape Verde was released early enough and the Cabinet Secretary could have allocated money one month before the date having known that it was to be played in two legs," said Raila.
He said the government must take full responsibility for the team's failure to go through to the group stages for the competition even after investing a lot in sports.
He accused the Ministry of Sports and Federation of Kenya Football (FKF) of negligence, by treating the fixture as an emergency even after knowing that the national team had a date with Cape Verde after the Nairobi match.
Kenya was beaten 2-0 by Cape Verde at Estadio National do Cabo Verde on Wednesday, the results which denied the national team a place in the group stages for the 2018 race to Russia after an aggregate of 2-1 against the home boys.
The national team had to travel for 22 hours after having to wait at Wilson Airport for close to ten hours as the football management and the government tussled to put things in order after word went round that the chattered plane which the team was to use to Cape Verde had not been paid for.
Raila yesterday described the situation as 'absurd' and which ruined the spirit of players and football fans who had anticipated good results away after Harambee Stars beat Cape Verde 1-0 in the first leg.
He said the country has invested a lot of money in the game, which includes hiring 'qualified coach' and had no reason to mess the fixture by releasing money at the last minute.
"That was a do-or-die fixture and if the ministry (Sports) had no money, the Cabinet Secretary would have gone to treasury himself to get money to allow the players travel to Cape Verde. All we needed was a draw," said Raila.
He said the team could have traveled on Sunday so as to give them time to familiarize the players with the Cape Verde environment.
"The picture portrayed either indicated that the government is bankrupt or those with responsibility of managing the sport are not doing their work. If the government is broke it should give way and if people are not doing their work they should be out."
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