Democracy by exclamation goes to stadium, revealing nation in a restive state

Fans cheer Harambee Stars against Gabon in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, on March 23, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Once upon not too long ago, when football was a national obsession, politicians used it to galvanise the masses and invoke fierce patriotic fervour. 

The appearance of the Head of State at the stands, particularly, was seen as a harbinger of good tidings. First off, the gates would be opened for all the fans outside, while the players on the pitch were buoyed to display their best, hoping to receive a presidential handshake at the end of the match.

Such populism seems like...