The past six months have not been an easy one and for anyone who has gone through a loss you can bear me witness. It is exactly six months today and I have been doing bits and pieces of my journey with you in my life and how you have nurtured me to be just ME!
Born in Moyale and went to school in Moyale Primary, and as fate will have it you came to Marsabit Boys which you always described as very cold and chilly. I remember the stories you shared of how mist covered the entire town and buffalo's grazed in the school compound. Only few from Moyale were in Marsabit Boys and the traders from Moyale will pick you up with your colleagues for a flight back home. Returning to Marsabit after pursuing a course in teaching again fate brought you back to Marsabit and here you met mum and married on 20th Oct 1977 blessed with 5 children.
I came into your life on 21st August 1978 as a first born; you celebrated my birth even though I was just a girl....you called me Honey...which was a special name and how much I meant to you. You held my hands and walked with me each day telling me how great I was and at times even after screaming at me, you always reassured me you meant well. A bold step you took and you were always Baba Honey and Mama Honey but I was just a girl! The roles at home were distributed equally and never did I feel I was doing all the work; cooking, cleaning the dishes; washing cloths we all did. I was never treated differently from my brothers again I was just a girl!
Taking my hand and walking with you each day and by night we never missed a game even if it was in middle of the night. In the 1990 World Cup we watched as Cameroon crashed Argentina the defending champions 1-0; then they took on Romania, Soviet Union and then Colombia 2-1 with Roger Milla scoring 2 goals at extra time. Our hopes were dimmed by England as they eliminated the Indomitable Lions 3-2 at extra time. Football a game for men to many but you made it my game; again I was just a girl.
The Katongo Brothers were your next favorites after Roger Miller; The Chipolopolo (Bullets) in the rebirth of a team that was rebuilt after the plane crash killing all the players....this are not stories a dad will share with a girl but you did baba......It is still very fresh how the President of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda was involved in football and the team named KK11. Then the moment when they lifted the title against Ivory Coast, dedicating it to the Zambian Team that perished in the plane crash. You never missed a game; be it Africa Cup of Nations; Euro Cup; World Cup but you shared all these moments with us all even though I was just a girl.
You set a new path in my life and the DREAM you nurtured has seen me travel the world. As I set out to start the organisation I faced lots of challenges but you always had my back. Football is not a thing for girls but you made my dream a reality. With football I traveled to Germany; Italy; England; Canada; Brazil; USA; South Africa; just to mention a few. Recently I was in Colombia sharing my story of football and the dream for Peace in a war torn country. A few days a go my long time dream of taking a HODI team to International became a reality; we made it Lyon France for Festival 16. Here I met 3 Zambian Brothers; A girl from Lebanon; 3 Friends from Israel and Palestine; over 65 countries present and for once I wished you were here to celebrate my little steps.
My passion for football is inborn but you nurtured it and guided me to these path; little did you know I wanted to play football as a kid but I never had a chance. When I took the ball and went to the pitch you always followed me behind.I will always spot you in the crowd cheering the team but above all looking out for a daughter you very much loved! In the beginning I felt I had disappointed you by dropping the law degree and opting for football. When a fight broke out between the teams, you always next to me just ensuring your girl is not hit.......I know you will take a BULLET for me! always telling me how scared you were for me; Most times I will travel to the places where people have been killed and will only share with you upon my return. I knew you will not let me go if you knew in advance. But each day as you interacted with the young boys and girls and what the football meant for them you gave me your blessings....I will not forget the day you said to me "I am very Proud of you Baba.....I walk with my head held high knowing you are my daughter"
On this day I draw Courage from your words and as I SHOOT TO SCORE GOALS FOR PEACE; I pray that Baba you rest in Eternal PEACE!!!
