Veteran Harambee Stars Striker Dies

Veteran Harambee stars striker Ali Kajo passed away on Monday morning, December 28, while receiving treatment at a Mombasa hospital.Kajo, 78, who was known for his football skills in the 1960s and 1970s succumbed after a long illness.He is survived by a widow, 12 children and several grandchildren.  Veteran footballer Ali Kajo (right) with former teammate Paulo Lodi.Twitter He was part of the Feisal FC squad which is the only team from the Coast to have ever won the Kenya Premier League title in 1965.In September 2020, there was a fund appeal to help the retired footballer repair his dilapidated house.Speaking during an interview, Kajo’s representative Hemed Mtawa stated that they hoped to give him a decent roof over his head.“We decided to come up with a pay bill number for him (Kajo) as a way of getting well-wishers to help him. People have been offering help in terms of one packet of flour and that, to be honest, is not sustainable,” he told a local publication.The plight of retired athletes living in deplorable conditions has been highlighted a number of times. Veteran footballer Ali Kajo’s house under construction.Twitter As these sportsmen and women were a source of pride for the country in the yesteryears, some have been reduced to abject poverty due to the lack of a proper welfare structure in the country.In May 2020, veteran coach Rajab Mohammed, who was distinguished for his contribution to the Kenyan boxing circuit in the 1970s, was found to be living in a shanty structure in Majengo slums.In 2016, veteran and retired Kenyan athletes formed a welfare body for retired sports personalities.The body was formed following a fundraiser for legendary footballer Joe Kadenge’s medical bill with personalities arguing that short-term solutions of contributing money towards a sports personality in dire need were not viable. Veteran coach Rajab Mohammed in his shanty house in Majengo slums in Nairobi.Citizen Digital