Strength of a woman: Meet the madam driving Posta Rangers team bus

Four years and counting, she has ensured top-flight side Posta Rangers arrive on schedule for matches, she has braved hostile crowds to deliver the playing unit safely to and from stadia and she's not about to blink.

The number of women tasked with running various departments in local football clubs is progressively swelling. Either through the ballot or appointment, women have grabbed opportunities to serve the game in diverse ways.

Occasionally, their contribution alongside that those who labour behind the scenes goes unnoticed as the focus remains trained on the players and members of the technical bench.

Mozzart Sport caught up with a trailblazer who enjoys the rare luxury of calling the shots on a stage that is undoubtedly dominated by men and her role in the game seldom receives the plaudits it deserves.

Behind the scenes at Posta Rangers is the indefatigable bus driver Esther Kimani who has been behind the wheel for four years.

Kimani who boasts of more than two decades of experience on the road was ushered into the game in April 2017 when a reshuffle was effected at the Posta Corporation of Kenya.

The Corporation bosses threw her into a perceived deep end after she was assigned to man the club's bus following the redeployment of her predecessor to the Posta Liner Busses.

She vividly recalls that the raft of changes were announced and effected on a Friday with her first assignment coming the following day where she drove the team to play the 2006 league champions Sony Sugar at the Awendo Stadium.

With less than a day to get accustomed to her new workstation as well as prepare for the long tortuous trip, she recounts with delight how her debut was successful and more sweetening as the team won 1-0.

"I was handed the keys on a Friday and was expected to ensure the team honor an away match to Sony Sugar that weekend. I gathered the courage to confront the new challenge and luckily, we won by a solitary goal. The players probably felt that I was not equal to the task but after the trip, they hailed my skills and within a short time, they got used to my presence," she narrated.

Born in Gilgil, Nakuru county, Kimani joined the corporation which by then was known as the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications in 1993 shortly after graduating from the National Youth Service as an office messenger.

The fifth born in a family of twelve was later promoted to clerical assistant upon her transfer to the main office in Nairobi a rank she held until 1997.

Armed with the driving license dished after her training at the NYS and tired of plying in the lower echelons of the corporation, Kimani's prayer of becoming a driver came into play in 1997 after her application was accepted.

Her promotion to the driver's cabin came with the rare blessings of navigating the bosses around and delivering letters and parcels to all corners of the country, a job she diligently undertook for a whooping twenty years.

"After graduating from the NYS I hit the road in search for a job. My search took me to the corporation's branch in Gilgil where I was employed as an office messenger. I was later transferred to Nairobi and elevated to a clerical assistant. I applied for a driving job in 1997 and fortunately, I succeeded. I served as a small vehicle driver and even would drive the bosses for twenty years until when I was introduced to football through Rangers in 2017," she says.

The change of job description in 2017 saw the 51-year-old forfeit her off days on weekends which she considered family time as she is required to ferry the team to match day venue either within Nairobi or away.

The mother of five however lauds her husband for plugging the gap when she is away on weekends. She says before embarking on a journey, her kids spare a moment to pray for journey mercies and wish the team luck.

"It was challenging in the first months but the kids are now used to my absence on weekends. They are all grown and understand that I have to be away for them to have a good life. They always pray and wish me good luck on the eve of match days. I also thank my husband for being there for the kids when I am always away and for the support he has offered me in my career," she said.

Players naturally throw banters and crack jokes as a way of unwinding or psyching up ahead of tough duels creating an environment which non-football enthusiasts may not associate with.

However, Kimani who hails the players according to her maximum respect revealed that she got acquainted with working with the boys within a short time and is a great fan of their animated moments both on the bus and on the pitch.

"The players respect me and I also return the favor. They are always cooperative and make my job easier through their banter and jokes. On match day, I always remind them not to let the team and company down. I am their big fan and always pray for them to succeed in their careers. I never feel lonely despite working with men. The respect I get from all quarters makes me comfortable. The team is like a family to me and I try to enjoy working with them every day. The players don't like when I proceed for leave or seek an off to attend to pressing issues," she noted.

Having a bad day in the office is a phenomenon in football and Kimani recalls ferrying the team to Kisumu only to get a 5-0 drubbing by Gor Mahia back in June 2018 as her longest trip ever.

She recollects that hell broke loose when Jockins Atudo who recently hanged his boots and ventured into coaching saw red for handling in the box giving Gor forwards a field day in front of the goal.

“Back in 2018, we lost 5-0 to Gor Mahia in Kisumu. I remember Atudo was red-carded in the match. That was my longest trip ever. There was an unusual quietness in the bus from Kisumu to Kericho which the then team manager John Terry sarcastically broke by saying he had come from a movie-watching session in Kisumu, " she recounted.

The call for women to take up jobs even in sectors that are littered with men is growing louder and Kimani has added her voice to it.

She calls upon women to roll up their sleeves and cut their teeth in all sectors including sports.

"My best moment is when we win. However, it pains to lose whether here in Nairobi or away. I challenge women out there to cut their teeth in any kind of job. I also call upon them to venture into sports for there are many untapped opportunities therein, " she added.

Bio

Name-Esther Wanjiku Kimani

Date of birth 1970.

Place of birth- Langalanga village, Gilgil in Nakuru county

Hobbies-listening to country music

Best meal-Mukimo/Nyama Choma