EDITOR,

After a humble beginning in the Kenyan football league MacDonald Mariga has made all the East Africans regard him as a regional football hero because of his exploits. The Kenyan Premier Raila Odinga even involved himself in this football issue, talking to the British Foreign Secretary on behalf of this player who was supposed to sign for Manchester City football club.

The work permit was released just after MacDonald had already signed for the Italian side Inter Milan.

In Inter Milan, he will join fellow African superstars Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Ghana’s Sulley Muntari. According to reports the Kenyan has signed a four year contract worth 7million pounds.

This transfer is the expensive one that has ever involved a players from the Cecafa region. MacDonald was born and raised in Kenya.

After his high school he featured for clubs like Ulinzi FC, Tusker FC, Helsingborgs FC (where he played with Olivier Karekezi), Parma and now Internazional in Serie A.

This kind of progress proves that players from this region have the ability to play at the highest levels. We must work hard to follow in Mariga’s shoes.

Matthew Ndoli
Kanombe