30/06/2026
The state of football talents in Muranga is in dangerš as NGUTU FC we support Kabati Youth Football Club on this. Please share it widely until it reaches Governor Irungu Kangata
AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR GOVERNOR, H.E. DR. IRUNGU KANGāATA
FROM: Kabati Youth Football Club, and on behalf of all Football Clubs competing in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) National, Regional, County, and Sub-County Leagues within Murangāa County.
SUBJECT: A Cry for Help: The Total Collapse of County Support for Grassroots Football in Murangāa
Your Excellency,
We write this open letter to your office with a heavy heart, representing ourselves and the voices of hundreds of talented youth, self-funding grassroots football clubs, exhausted team managers and coaches, and passionate community members across Murang'a County.
While we appreciate your administration's focus on programs like the Murangāa Youth Service (MYS) and healthcare, the sports sectorāspecifically footballāhas been completely abandoned to bleed to death.
Your Excellency, football in Murang'a is in a state of emergency. While clubs like Kabati Youth FC have fought through blood, sweat, and tears to secure a historic promotion to the National Super League (NSL), bringing national pride to Murangāa, we are doing so entirely on empty pockets.
In fact, as we write this, our participation in the 2026/27 National Super League season remains in doubt.
We write to highlight the following critical challenges where, through your leadership, the Murangāa County Government can intervene.
1. Zero Direct Financial Support for League Operations
Competing in structured FKF leagues is an expensive, year-round venture. Yet, clubs receive zero budgetary support for standard league operations from the county government. Clubs are collapsing because of:
Affiliation and Registration Fees: Grassroots clubs are struggling to pay the annual FKF league registration fees. Without this, teams are locked out of leagues, killing the dreams of young players.
Referee Fees: Host teams must pay referees every weekend. Many Murang'a teams have faced walkovers and suspensions simply because they cannot raise the money required to pay match officials.
The Travel and Transport Burden: For a team like Kabati Youth FC playing in the national-tier NSL, traveling to places like Western Kenya or Mombasa costs a fortune. Even when the county government has assisted us with a bus, you still require us to fuel the bus, pay the driver, cater for car wash fees amongst other costs which does very little to reduce our transport costs.
2. The Deplorable State of Playing Grounds and Stadiums
Our local community pitches are uneven, overgrown, dusty bowls that turn into muddy swamps during the rainy season. This complete lack of infrastructure intervention has left our players highly exposed to severe, career-ending injuries.
Because of the lack of local pitches that meet FKF standards, teams like Kabati Youth FC have been forced into "exile"āpaying to use grounds in other counties to host "home" matches, further increasing our operational costs.
3. The āGen Zā Tournament is NOT a Sustainable Football Development Model
Your Excellency, while the annual Governor's Cup tournament is a welcome initiative, it is a band-aid solution to a deep, structural wound. A tournament that lasts a few weeks and offers a few footballs and jerseys cannot sustain clubs playing in structured, year-round leagues.
Our youth need continuous, structural development, not seasonal and short term tokens. When the tournament ends, the financial nightmare for clubs resumes.
Our Humble Prayer to Your Office:
Sports is a fully devolved function; we are asking for the implementation of the constitutional mandate that places sports under county governance. We urgently request:
Financial Support: Utilize the sports fund to pay league registration fees, referee fees for FKF registered teams within Murangāa County
Infrastructure Rehabilitation: Allocate a budget to grade, grass, and fence our community football pitches.
Transport: Invest in additional āYouth and Sportsā buses to facilitate away match transport and ensure this is done at no cost, especially to teams travelling long distances.
Capacity Building: Support FKF approved training programs such as CAF D and Class III referee courses designed to improve the capacity of key personnel in our football such as coaches and referees
HealthCare: Consider incorporating all FKF licensed players within Murangāa County into the KangāataCare program to ensure they are covered from sports related injuries
Sponsorships and Partnerships: Through your office, engage corporates and the business community within Murangāa County with the aim of securing sports sponsorships as well as raising additional funds in support of the Murangāa Sports Fund
Stakeholder Engagement: Call for an urgent sports round-table meeting between your office, the County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Sports, and registered football clubs in Murangāa County to chart a sustainable way forward.
Your Excellency, investing in these football clubs is a direct investment in crime reduction, drug abuse prevention, mental health, and economic empowerment for thousands of Murang'a youth. Do not let the talent of this county rot in the villages.
We look forward to your urgent intervention.
Yours Sincerely,
Kabati Youth Football Club
Hon Irungu Kang'ata
