Kakamega High to make grand return to sports after years in the cold

The belated Secondary school’s national ball games are set to return to Kakamega county after a four-year Covid-19 instigated paralysis in school competitions. Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) has announced that Kakamega High School will be the host in the second week of August.

The institution shall also play host to the Term Two ‘B’county and Western regional games. Last year, Kakamega did not have representation in two of its specialties including Rugby and football after the partial reopening of schools’ sporting activities by the ministry of education.  Following their absence, Kayonzo Secondary School, the EastAfrica Secondary School 7’s champions, carried Kakamega’s banner in the games and eventually won the title. 

The 2022 KSSSA tournament also produced a new regional soccer king in Butula Boys. The term two ‘B’ games include football, leg ball, volleyball, or girls and boys and indoor games.  The choice of the Kakamega school venue for the national championship is not in vain as for the last four years, sports enthusiasts have endured what they describe as a bullish administration that has emasculated talent development.

However, there is a general feeling that The January transfer of Chief principal Gerald Orina has revitalized optimism for soccer and rugby talent.

Under him, the school soccer team; the Green Commandos, won the 2018 KSSSA national soccer trophy and the 2019 Rugby 15s national and East Africa trophies. The school alumni who support talent development at the school argue that the 2018 and 2019 teams were championing long before Orina’s arrival in January 2018.

Fair enough, in 2019, the Green Commandos exploded. Kenya Football Federation (FKF) and the school alumni had severally petitioned for the removal of Orina over his alleged anti-sport policies. The petitions against Orina began in earnest during the 2019 County Soccer games when the Green Commandos succumbed to minnows Lubinu Boys, Luguai mixed and St. Peter’s Mumias Boys at the group stage. The anger and frustration visited on befuddled students in a tournament held at the school ground, forced a half-term break for learners to diffuse emotions. On the boys’ return, the school curricular timetable had changed dejure to favor academics only.

Entertainment was abolished. ‘Green Commandos’ was criminalized, soccer coach Brendan Mwinamo was transferred and football activities were grounded. 

Interview with People Daily, new Principal Julius Mabibili (pictured) said: “This school is a big brand that cannot be wished away. It has traditions.

Soccer is a cult, Rugby is a religion and performance arts will run concurrently along academics.”He says the school is excited to host the national championship and is preparing a team that can compete at that level.”

 The school games master Amos Wamanga who doubles as the Rugby coach, admits the new administration is more responsive and supportive of sports.”We’ve dusted and oiled our gym for conditioning players. We’re now searching for new talent. We’ve attended several soccer and rugby tournaments and friendly matches to gauge ourselves.

This is something inspiring to all Kakamega High boys partaking in sports,’’ Wamanga says.

He explains, “We are taking one step at a time but cannot promise anything at the moment. The administration is very supportive. We participated in the Allan Bradley tournament in soccer and rugby. In football, we are lined up for friendlies against Bungoma Boys, Koyonzo, Kibabiiboys and St. Marys Yala and I must say the boys are raring to go,” Until 2019, Kakamega school under retired principal OliverMinishi was an enigma having carved an enviable niche for themselves in school games and particularly soccer, rugby and performance arts. A KSSSA national tournament without Kakamega school is considered incomplete.