Why beloved Eastlands football tourney may soon draw its last breath

The annual Koth Biro football tournament is on the brink of collase if corporate firms fail to offer financial support, chairman and main organiser, Charles Handas, has said.

Handas, a former Kenyan international and celebrated footballer who has grown with Koth Biro since childhood, is concerned that Nairobi’s oldest tournament may not survive on goodwill, but now needs lots of investment since the game of football has long grown into an industry.

“Apart from the headache of planning the fixture and communicating events, there is the desire to keep the game clean and safe from external interference,” Handas told The Nairobian.

“We engage different professional referees for every match, as well as other match officials who must be well paid. Today, we can only afford a token of Sh9,000 per match for the three match officials.

As such, I have to either double up as the fourth official or get a credible stakeholder who would not ask for pay,” he added.

The former footballer told The Nairobian how politicians and other high-profile people have over the years just made appearances at the games at the last minute to watch the finals. Little attention is given to preliminary matches which he says are key to the tourney’s success.

The year 2015 has seen Handas receive a boost from National Bank of Kenya (NBK) who he says came on board with a Sh200,000 sponsorship.

“I would like to thank NBK for their support. But I call upon other well-wishers not to get tired of helping the boys’ tourney. There is still need for more investments to help curb hooliganism and ensure players and fans are protected. We also need ample and secure parking space for those who come to the event in their cars. Of course we also need better playing surface; with terraces and a perimeter wall to keep the fans off the pitch,” said Handas.

Last year, chaos marred Koth Biro at the semi-final stage after a match between Kaloleni estate’s A 1000 Street and Majengo estate-based Borussia FC was abandoned in the 75th minute.

A dispute arose following a goal scored by former Tusker FC midfielder Jeff Oyando, who scored with a classic header from a set piece created by KPL teammate, Clifford Alwanga. Borrusia FC fans and players refused to concede. The lads from Majengo invaded the pitch when centre referee, Vincent Abedi, awarded the goal to A 1000 Street. When the chaos threatened to be get out of hand, Football Kenya Federation decided to cancel the tournament, claiming that hooligans at the event endangered the lives of spectators.

Handas however faulted the FKF move, instead asking the federation to facilitate the tournament.

“I am calling upon successful players who have earned a living out of football to kindly come together and help chart a way forward for Koth Biro. There is not a single player out there from Nairobi who did not play at Koth Biro. Why have they forsaken us?” wondered Handas.

Former FKF CEO Ludovic Aduda and local referees chairman Obare are among the stakeholders who, according to Handas, have found time to help making the tourney a success.