Down but not out - Moses Mburu plots FKFPL comeback

When you think of profiling Moses Mburu's football career, you can't help watching and rewinding a clip dated March 2018 where he expertly rainbow flicks Kennedy Ayako and leaves him gasping for air in a league match played at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

On his day, Mburu was simply unplayable and perhaps gave fans more reasons to throng in the stadium to catch a glimpse of his football skills which are rare among defenders.

He is not just skilled on the pitch. The 27-year old left-back is a Business Information Technology graduate and a Certified Flight Dispatcher.

The expertise gained from his graduate studies was deemed to come into play after hanging his boots but Mburu caught many by surprise in January when he parted ways with Mathare United with reports suggesting that he had elected to pursue his passion in the field of aviation.

A myriad of unanswered questions crossed the minds of football enthusiasts who felt the former Kayole Youth player was too talented to quit before hitting his prime.

Well, his fans can rest easy now if his assurance to make a grand return is anything to go by.

Mburu who is currently in the private sector says he is far from calling it a day and is promising to come back stronger and focused to meet the targets he set when he joined top-flight football in 2016.

"I haven't retired from active football. Age is still on my side and I can not have peace with myself until I achieve the goals I set when I got my first contract in the top league at Mathare United. I badly miss the game and I promise I will be back once I settle some personal issues, " he assures. 

The biggest question has been what might have compelled Mburu to take a breather hardly three months after rejoining Mathare United for a second stint. 

Born in Pumwani but raised in Kayole, Mburu's football career was flourishing until he suffered a career-threatening injury when AFC Leopards confronted Nakumatt FC who have since rebranded to Mt Kenya United in 2018 in Machakos. 

Prior to joining Ingwe, Mburu who can also be deployed as a midfielder plied his trade with Mathare United in 2016 before crossing to KCB who by then were languishing in the National Super League the following year.

The meniscus tear forced him to go under the knife in September the same year and he resumed training after six weeks. He would return to entertain the Ingwe faithful until another injury setback struck in March the following year.

The Super 8 Premier League winner with Kayole Asubuhi ripped his Anterior Talofibular Ligament(ATFL) during their 2-1 win over Tusker and was ruled out for another six weeks.

By the time he was back on his feet, Isaac Kipyegon had imposed himself into Andre Casa Mbungo's first team and further, recurring injuries would not spare him either.

"I was on top of my game in 2018 but hell broke loose when I was wheeled to the surgeon's table. An injury is the player's biggest nightmare and my case was not different. Few weeks after recovering from the first surgery, I was booked for another one after going into a tackle while in action against Tusker and ended up getting injured again. I had to take a short breather to fully recover, " he narrated. 

The den alongside Kenyan football was thrown in disarray in September 2019 after the then shirt and league sponsor closed shop citing an unfavorable business environment.

The unceremonious exit fueled the exit of players and Mburu was among those who ditched the financially limping club in January last year after efforts to broker a contract extension hit a snag.

The former KCB player failed to secure a new home in the January transfer window despite interests from Mt Kenya United and Bandari and decided to pursue business pending the completion of the season and the subsequent opening of the summer transfer window.

What was supposed to be a brief sabbatical turned out to be the longest ever in recent times after sporting activities were indefinitely halted in March last year after the first case of coronavirus was reported in the country. 

The global pandemic literally rendered local-based players hopeless with those who did not have a fallback plan the worst hit. 

Armed with his academic papers, Mburu had earlier flown to the United Arab Emirates before coronavirus was declared a global pandemic in search of flight dispatcher jobs.

He was just doing well until the global airspace was locked for passenger flights and worse still, he was swept by a purge and forced to return home after the government began repatriating its stranded citizens in the gulf. 

With no stable job and with the suspension of sporting activities still in place, the Naaro High School alumni's plot thickened further on August 4 following the birth of his firstborn. 

At the time the kid was born, speculations were rife that the government was about to give in to pressure and lift the ban on sporting activities. He says after failing to get a positive response from the local companies he had applied for an opportunity, he had to go back to football. 

The former Kayole Youth player revealed that during his rehabilitation program at the MYSA gym he bumped into Mathare United head coach Salim Ali who would later bring him back to the club in November. 

"After I failed to get a new club in January, I decided to go to Dubai to look for jobs in the aviation industry. I was on the verge of landing a lucrative international job with one of the airlines but once again, the unfortunate happened after coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. We lost our jobs after the company's operations were grounded and returned home. My kid was born when I was struggling to make ends meet and after my applications for a job to the various companies I had made failed to yield fruit, I had to go back to football, " he said.

Mburu who considers Vincent Oburu and Brian Marita as the toughest wingers he has ever faced surprisingly parted ways with Mathare in January but he has pledged to return to the fold perhaps next season.

He promises to make a stop at Mathere for a third stint as a sign of expressing his gratitude for giving him a second chance last year.

"My exit was not informed by below-par performance or discipline. It was a painful but good decision to make as I needed to attend to a family issue that would have affected my performance. I also got a job in the private sector but truth be told, it hurts every weekend when I see my age-mates playing football at the competitive level. I will be back by next season. For Mathare, I am indebted for the second chance you gave me and even if it means I will return and play for free, I am ready to repay the faith, "he expressed.

Bio

Name : Mburu Moses Wanderi

Date of birth:26/01/1994

Place of birth: Pumwani Hospital Nairobi

Education

Precious Gift Primary School 2000-2007

High Naaro High School 2008-2011

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)-Bachelor in Business Information Technology 2012-2015

Football Career

Mathare United 2016-2017

KCB 2017

AFC Leopards January 2018-2020

Mathare United November 2020- January 2021