Lead image for East Africa school games: Kenyan coaches propose radical changes to cure poor run in football.
Kenyan football teams again performed poorly in the 23rd edition of the Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games which ended on Saturday at Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro, Tanzania.
All of Kenya’s four representatives in football were eliminated at the group stage. Two boys’ teams - national champions Kakamega High School and St Mary’s Yala - failed to shine in boys’ football. In the girls’ category, the going proved tough for Nyakach Girls and national champions St Joseph’s Girls, (JOGA) Kitale as they all crashed out before the semi-finals.
The disastrous performance has prompted Kenyan age-group coaches to propose a review of the school games calendar, and a proposal to seal loopholes for appeals to ensure Kenya presents its best teams in the regional championships.
St Mary’s Kitende from Uganda beat home team Morogoro Secondary 2-1 in a tense final played at Jamhuri Stadium to win the boys’ title.
The girls’ football final was an all-Ugandan affair. In the end, the title went to Rines Secondary School who beat Bukedea Comprehensive School 4-3 on post-match spot kicks after a goalless draw in normal and extra time at the same venue.
Uganda again swept both football titles, extending their dominance that has now lasted more than a decade.
A look at past championships paints a grim picture for Kenya. Kenya has only won the boys’ title twice since the championships started in 2002 while Uganda has lifted a whopping 20 titles. St Antony’s Kitale won boys’ football title in the 2002 inaugural edition, and Barding High School from Siaya County won it in 2016 when they beat Uganda’s St Mary’s Kitende 1-0 on home soil in Eldoret.
Uganda’s sports powerhouses St Mary’s Kitende alone have won a whopping 15 titles, including at the recently concluded one in Morogoro. Kitende won back-to-back titles from 2004 to 2014, and returned to lift the trophy again in 2017, 2019, 2023 and in 2026.