By Anderson Ojwang
After leading Police Football Club to their first-ever Premier League silverware and forcing the mighty Gor Mahia to conduct a radical overhaul in the technical bench and team management, the Permanent Secretary for Internal Security and Administration, Dr Raymond Omollo, is not about to relent.
Currently, Omollo is the face of Kenya in the coordination of the ongoing CHAN tournament hosted by the three East African countries: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
For Kenya, the Executive and President William Ruto delegated the coordination of the event to Omollo, who has lived up to the challenge.
Omollo, who is the patron of Police FC, wrote history by dislodging Gor Mahia and Tusker from dominating Kenya’s Premier League and transforming the team into the new kids on the block.
Omollo wrote on his Facebook page after the victory: “As Patron of the FKF Premier League Champions, Kenya Police FC, I had the distinct honour of leading the team to a special breakfast meeting with H.E. President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi.
The celebratory occasion brought together distinguished leaders to recognise and applaud the club’s historic triumph, securing their first-ever Premier League title.
Kenya Police FC’s achievement is not just a milestone for the club but a significant moment for Kenyan football, inspiring young athletes across the nation to dream big and strive for excellence.
Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen (Interior), Salim Mvurya (Youth Affairs and Sports), Hassan Joho (Mining & Blue Economy), and Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi (Sports) were in attendance.”
The PS, who is a statistician, is scaling new heights with his performance, and that is why he has not let down the President and the country in coordinating and ensuring safety during the games.
For Omollo, the success in hosting CHAN 2024 was a test for Kenya’s readiness to host AFCON 2027, and he stressed that fan cooperation and discipline were as important as stadium upgrades.
“Hosting CHAN is both a privilege and a national test. It is a national honour for Kenya and a responsibility on all of us. It is a proud moment for Kenya as a world-renowned sporting nation.
As we may all be aware, CAF has set strict standards we must continuously meet regarding such tournaments.
The Federation provides clear conditions on fan safety, security protocols, and crowd conduct. Any breaches – even outside the stadium – can result in consequences, including formal warnings, penalties, or disqualification from future bids. As such, our conduct as fans has serious national implications.
CAF and other stakeholders are closely observing not just the games, but the overall fan experience and security management. Therefore, our success in hosting the ongoing tournament must go beyond the readiness of our facilities and our on-field performance.
Our success depends on collective discipline. Security teams are working tirelessly. Let us support them by cooperating and observing the protocols and directives they give us. The whole world is watching; let’s represent ourselves well,” he said.
Despite a few hiccups and overwhelming demand from Kenya’s football-starved fans to gain entry to the stadium to support the national team, Harambee Stars, Omollo and his team have ensured the safety of fans.
“We remain committed to ensuring that all matches are hosted in a safe, secure and well-coordinated environment. We are committed to the safety of the players, fans, and dignitaries attending the matches,” he said.
The CHAN tournament, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is reserved for players who compete in their national domestic leagues. Hosting the 2024 edition is a major milestone for Kenya, and authorities are keen on using the platform to showcase the country’s organisational capacity and hospitality.
The Harambee Stars have also not let Kenyans down, having made history by defeating Morocco and DRC and then drawing with Angola.
Joshua Nyamori, an advocate, said Omollo has showcased his competence in management and has delivered on his mandate.
“Winning the Premier League with Police Football Club was not a walk in the park, but a result of dedication and commitment by the patron to rewrite the story of the league.
Give it to him, he has coordinated the tournament so well, and we should give credit where it is due. He is serving the President in the best way, and we are proud of him. He is a good manager and we cannot wish away that fact,” he said.
