Green Commandos lead Kenya's hunt for elusive East Africa football title

Arnold Odira (left) of St Mary's Yala in action against Eugene Selety of Kakamega Seniro School. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

As focus shifts to the 23rd edition of the Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) games, Kenya’s football flag bearers find themselves locked in a familiar war of nerves.

Shackled in the shadows in a script dominated by neighbours Uganda, Kenyan schools have watched the football crown slip through their fingers for years. Out of the 22 editions, Kenyan boys have lifted the sought-after trophy two times only. The last golden memory remains etched in 2016, when Barding conquered the region to secure Kenya’s second East African gong.

They beat the revered St Mary’s Kitende by a solitary goal on home soil. Since then, a deep frustrating slumber has gripped Kenyan football on the biggest stage of schools ‘sports. Kakamega School’s Green Commandos and St Mary’s Yala, who are now under the former Barding principal Victor Makanda, carry the nation's hopes of breaking the ceiling and ending the long wait at this year’s East Africa games that begin this Friday in Morogoro, Tanzania.

Having fought tooth and nail through the qualification stages from the Zonals to the nationals, they arrive in Tanzania determined to succeed where their peers have failed.

After years in hibernation, the legendary Green Commandos clawed back to the limelight as they rediscovered their pedigree that once made them a dreaded name across the region.

Fresh from reclaiming the national trophy they had last won in 2018 and armed with their tactical discipline and an insatiable hunger for glory, they will go full throttle as they seek to finally get it right after past failed attempts.

Speaking after winning the national trophy, Kakamega coach Enock Lucheveli said that they will be in Morogoro for the ultimate prize.

“This year’s success is an outcome of years of hard work and dedication. We have accomplished our mission at the nationals and now focus on the East Africa title. We will not be there to participate but we will fight for the trophy.”

However, standing on the way of Green Commandos and Black Saints is a solid wall of Ugandan powerhouses as they continuously fight to keep their hegemony. They face an uphill task going against East Africa’s most successful side St Mary’s Kitende, defending champions Bukedea Comprehensive, 2024 winners Amus College and their Kyadondo Secondary School compatriots.

The Green Commandos launch their quest in Group C alongside Bukedea, Kyadondo and Tanzania’s Urambo Day Secondary School. The Black Saints on the other hand will face off with Kitendem CGF Kigali from Rwanda and homeboys Morogoro Secondary School. Group A has IPTEM Makamba from Burundi, Amus College and the Tanzanian duo of Nsumba and Mbeya Day.

The heartbreak narrative is distressingly familiar across the girls’ competition as national champions St Joseph’s Girls Senior School Kitale and Nyakach Girls seek to break a choking trophy drought that stretches back to 2018.

Kwale Girls were the last side to bring the title home after triumphing in Musanze, Rwanda. Since 2019, Ugandan girls have subjected Kenyans to endless torment as they swept every single title.

For St Joseph’s Royal Panthers and Nyakach’s Plateau Queens, the mission in Morogoro is clear, to shatter the psychological barrier and prove that Kenyan girls can rule East Africa once again.

The Royal Panthers are in Group B together with Amus College and Boni Consili from Uganda and Tanzania’s Alliance and Kilombero. Nyakach will launch their quest in Group A against Rines Secondary and Jinja Progressive from Uganda, PSB Huye from Rwanda and homegirls Ziba and Fountain Gate.