Hockey legend, Oyoo keen on setting up sports museum in Kisumu

One uncomfortable fact in the Kenyan sports scene is data. Profiles and history of players who proudly represented the country in international assignments decades ago is not readily available.

The current generation has had to contend with tales of how Kenya was a Hockey giant in the continent in the 80’s, how Harambee Stars and other national teams were dotted with technically gifted players but their active years in the preferred disciplines were not documented.

It is not in doubt that data is expensive and those who have over the years kept it rightly hawk it to the highest bidder leaving the masses to feed on fairy tales most of the times.

The past might be bleak but the future appears to be bright for Kisumu after Philip Oyoo, a former Kenyan Hockey international took the less travelled path by committing to set up a sports museum in Kisumu.

Will there be light at the end of the Hockey tunnel?

Oyoo, a goalkeeper in the mid-80’ to 90’s intends to plug in the gap in as far as data is concerned by having the museum at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium where the achievements of outstanding players from all disciplines will be documented and archived.

The Kisumu Boys High School alumnus revealed that the project was on course for take off after the county government gave it a thumps up after presenting the idea in the Investment Conference held late last year.

“The initiative will be a first in Africa is scheduled to be showcased during the Africities Conference in Kisumu, May this year. I am looking at archiving, documentation and celebration of achievement in individual and team sports. The areas to be covered include: Soccer, hockey, boxing, basketball, netball, volleyball, athletics, rugby and motor sports. The project will work closely with former greats of the sports,” he said.

Oyoo, a member of the University of Nairobi hockey team that was a force to reckon with in the league said he was borrowing ideas from fellow legends especially those who were in active in football just to make the project better.

“A Board will be set up to manage the initiative, research, resources mobilization, networking and marketing. The team has developed a concept note for discussion with the County government department of Sports who approved the idea. We are working closely in developing the concept with former Kenya soccer greats who played football in the late 80,s and 90,s,” he added.