kenyatta otieno

The shy and soft spoken former paramilitary police (GSU) officer Wycliffe Kasaya is one man with a passion for the beautiful game. When the GSU side Red Beret FC was disbanded after relegation from top flight football, many football careers got relegated as well. Kasaya must have been hit hard by his superiors’ decision.

I know many players who turned up for the side had a lot of soul searching to do. KPL was on its way up and the prospects of hitting it big in football were real more than ever before. Then all of a sudden, they were deployed with other officers to normal duties in remote areas in Kenya.

Kasaya decided to bite the bullet- he resigned from the stability of a permanent and pensionable job. He was taunted as the goalkeeping replacement for Lawrence Webo at Leopards last season but he docked at Bandari. Despite playing second fiddle to Ivo Mapunda he stayed put and even had the audacity to follow Mapunda to K’ogallo.

I know someone who thought Kasaya had made a great blunder in choosing to pursue a career that to him is not stable and long term. I was of the opinion that KPL was on a resurgence and Kasaya could land a good deal.

I visited the Gor Mahia open day at City Stadium this past Saturday and was impressed to see Kasaya looking happy. He reminded me that it is good to stop thinking so much and just follow your heart. You are more inclined to do your best and achieve more if you do what you love.

I laud Kasaya for overcoming the fear that can grip the heart due to an unstable future. It takes a big audacious heart to make such a decision. I believe he is one of the best goalkeepers in Kenya and can easily find space in the national team. All the best Wicky, may you shine in the fans pressure cooker that is K’ogallo.

© Jan 2012