As these sportsmen and women were a source of pride for the country, some have been reduced to abject poverty due to the lack of a proper welfare structure in the country.
One such case is that of veteran coach Rajab Mohammed, who was distinguished for his contribution to the Kenyan boxing circuit.
Veteran coach Rajab Mohammed in his shanty house in Majengo slums in Nairobi.
Citizen Digital
Rajab, who dropped out of primary school, made a name for himself in the mid-1970s as a boxing coach, martial artist, and a fitness trainer at the Pumwani Social Hall.
He earned his livelihood from his hobby for three decades until things took a turn in the 2000s.
A report highlighted on Citizen TV, showed that his current fame was a far cry from his glory days.
Rajab has lived in Majengo slums for the past 72 years and a shanty structure is what he calls home – a mud-walled with plastic bags and cardboard boxes tied together to form a roof.
Inside the small quarters is a picture of clutter with plastic bottles and other waste taking up most of the space.
Veteran coach Rajab Mohammed’s shanty house in Majengo Slums
Former Harambee Stars and Gor Mahia Player, Swaleh Ochieng’ who used to train with the coach in his heydays expressed remorse in his friend’s current state.
“In the past, he used to be a big figure and helped out a lot in training but now when I look at him, his life has changed for the worst,” he stated.
Peter Onyango who met Rajab in 1968, stated that in the past, the coach had been a well-built man. He, however, attributed his downfall to poor management in the sports industry.
“Rajab did not save his money and make investments at his peak, he also did not have discipline as well,” he added.
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.
Here is the video courtesy of Citizen TV:
