Ulinzi goes with trophy, Western Stima wins the hearts of fans

The final of the Kenya Premier League Top 8 has just come to an end, and Ulinzi FC has won the trophy after scoring two goals against one in the match played at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. The army side made history by being the first side to win the trophy in its year of introduction by the Kenya Premier League organisers. We can say that they were the better side because they scored the goals and went home with the Ksh. 1 million price money. But despite winning the match, it was clear that the fans were not on Ulinzi’s side. Nearly three-quarters of the field was supporting Western Stima and the fans were terribly disappointed because Stima could not convert their chances into goals. I wonder how Ulinzi felt that even after emerging the winners and receiving the trophy, the fans in the stadium were not even willing to acknowledge them as the winners and applaud them. It must feel so bad to win such a coveted trophy and the fans in the stadium are not feeling as excited as you are. But Ulinzi made a fool of themselves by trying to taunt some of the fans while holding up the trophy. They stooped too low! I think Ulinzi’s undoing was the fact that they had beaten Gor Mahia before reaching the final. And woe unto you if you are fighting against Kogalo because their fans can really make your life miserable with their unending songs and boos. And just because they were beaten by Ulinzi, they were rooting for Western Stima just so they might spite Ulinzi. For them, it was a grudge match, even if they were not playing. That is why the Gor Mahia facebook fans club flag was fying high in the background!!! But again, you can look at the fact that the fans were not with Ulinzi from the point of view that they are a security-based team and the relationship between the security forces and the common man in this country has never been good. To the fans, Ulinzi was a reminder of the ills that the Kenya police has perpetrated against “innocent” civilians! You just needed to hear the names that were being used against them to know that many of the fans were not on their side. It was ironical that majority of the fans were supporting Western Stima, an upcountry team, rather than supporting a local team, Ulinzi. Still, this could be the case of the prophet not being appreciated in his own home town. What good can come out of men from an army barracks, anyway, maybe some would say. Anyway, congratulations to Ulinzi for emerging the winners in the first-ever KPL Top 8. Maybe next time, they will win both the trophy and the hearts of the fans!!