Deaf Football Federation of Kenya (DFFK) has asked the government to support them in hosting the 2031 World Deaf Football Championship.
The federation president Stephen Waweru said that he wants the government through the ministry of Sports to give them greenlight in hosting the event.
“I request our government to grant us greenlight for hosting the World Cup in Kenya come 2031 for the 6th world deaf football championship after the 5th world deaf championship 2027 in China,” requested waweru.
Waweru, who was recently recognized by the state during Mashujaa day as one of the Heroes in the country, said that his efforts have been noticed and rewarded.
“With my efforts to propel deaf football in the country, I can clearly see that there is progress in the discipline, which was a good move after I was recognized,” said Waweru.
Waweru, the founder of Deaf Football Federation of Kenya, is also the founder of Planet Deaf football club based in Kibera, Nairobi.
“Initially there was no football for the deaf people in Nairobi and Kenya at large. I really struggled to create a club where many players turned up for the good initiative that I had started,” said Waweru.
He says that when he started the club, they used to play with other cubs where the players could hear.
“The journey has been long and I must thank the national hero council, department of sports, Kenya sports federation of the deaf and deaf football federation of Kenya who nominated me as Deaf sports hero award very much,” said Waweru.
He says that he felt that deaf club was not impacted because there were many hearing clubs so he decided to start the deaf tournament cup after empowering some of the players to create new clubs in Nairobi, western, Nyanza and Mombasa where they lived.
“From there all of the teams agreed to play football tournaments where we had 5 teams who participated successfully. And as a founder of deaf football, I am the chairman for the national body and we have grown to 10 clubs changed from an association to a federation to match with sports Acts 2003,” he says.
With his efforts, he says that he went ahead to form the national team that has competed in various world events starting with the 2012 Africa deaf football qualification for world deaf football championship in Italy, with Kenya winning silver behind Egypt who was Africa representative.
“Apart from that, Kenya won the championship at the East Africa deaf football cup in Kenya in 2016, then the Africa deaf football qualifier for 24th summer Deaflympics Games in Kenya with women winning the African title and went ahead to compete at the Deaflympics in Brazil,” expressed Waweru.
Waweru wears many huts in the country and away from home. He is the president of Deaf Football federation of kenya (DFFK), Vice chairman Kenya sports federation of the Deaf, Vice president African deaf football confederation and Executive board member – Deaf international football association.
“My aim is that Kenya will be participating for 2nd Africa deaf football qualification 2024 for 25th deaflympics games in Japan2025. For us to make, I request any cooperates to support our teams for those activities from 2023-2027