East Africa’s dismal football record doesn’t match its passion – what needs to happen

By Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu

East Africa loves football. From the streets of Nairobi and the markets of Kampala to the beaches of Dar es Salaam, the passion for soccer is an undeniable current running through the region. Yet, despite fan support, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania haven’t translated this enthusiasm into sustained international success.

A new book that draws on the career-long research of Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu explores the deep roots of the game in the region. It also examines the structural and gender challenges and the immense opportunities that lie ahead. We asked him about it.

How was the modern game introduced?

The sport is linked to the region’s colonial past. Britain established the East Africa Protectorate (which became Kenya) in 1895 and formally declared it a colony in 1920. Germany colonised mainland Tanzania (as German East Africa) in the 1880s, and control shifted to Britain