On Sunday, Bob Munro, widely recognized as one of the greatest contributors to the growth of football in Kenya, passed away at his home in Westlands after a long battle with illness. The past few years had been particularly difficult for the Canadian, with the last year proving especially challenging.Despite multiple hospital visits following surgery, Munro appeared to recover in recent months and even returned to doing what he loved most—watching his beloved Mathare United play, especially after the team’s return to the Kenyan Premier League this season after a year in the lower tier.##NAJAVA_MECA_8641729##Munro founded the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) in 1987 and Mathare United in 1994. The team earned promotion to the Kenya Premier League in 1999 under controversial circumstances. Although they finished fifth in the Eastern Zone of the Super League—behind KCB, Red Berets, Co-op Bank, and Postbank—they won the Moi Golden Cup. In a move seen by many as preparation for continental football, the country’s football leadership promoted them to the top division, where they triumphed in 2008.A gifted storyteller, Munro often shared captivating anecdotes about Kenyan football. One of his most memorable stories was about a clever tactic he used to combat poor officiating in the second tier in 1998. He recalled that officiating had become so corrupt that his team had to get creative. They used a broken camera, which neither the referees nor opponents knew wasn’t working, to intimidate the officials into making fair decisions.Kibera Black Stars eyeing experienced duo in bid for League promotion“We found the lower leagues corrupt, and we lost many away matches due to biased referees. But in 1998, things changed,” Munro once explained. “A friend donated a large video camera to our team. It wasn’t a small, modern one but a bulky, old model with a heavy battery pack. Our Team Manager became quite fit, running up and down the sidelines at every away match with the camera aimed directly at the referees. They weren’t used to being filmed, so they became more cautious and fair. But the secret was, the camera was broken. It never worked, but the technique did,” he said in his paper Greed Versus Good Governance.Munro also shared a memorable experience from 2001 when his team celebrated winning the Premier League runner-up trophy. As they admired their new prize, a local sports store owner approached them, presented his business card, and said, “KFF just borrowed these trophies from my shop this morning for the ceremony. Could I please have the trophy back now?”Kenya’s Junior Starlets set for crucial World Cup qualifier against UgandaIt turned out that not only were there no cash rewards for the winners, but even the trophies had been borrowed, not bought.Through MYSA and Mathare United, Munro provided life-changing opportunities for many players, including Dennis Oliech, widely regarded as Kenya’s greatest-ever striker.Munro’s impact on Kenyan football will never be forgotten; he remains a true pioneer and champion of the game. May his soul rest in peace.Ambani reacts to AFC Leopards’ heavy loss to FC Talanta
