Mathare United FC

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Bob Munro

OUR FOUNDING FATHER BOB

Robert Donald Munro was born on September 1, 1942 and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He died in Nairobi, Kenya on January 19, 2025 after long illness. Bob, as he was affectionately referred to in Kenyan football circles, founded Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) in 1987 at the age of 45 and later Mathare United Football Club (MUFC) in 1994. MUFC was a club borne out of MYSA, step by step, together with the youth and children of Mathare. These two behemoths touched the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people around the world.
Bob's vision was that Kenyan youth could lift each other out of poverty through a mindset shift. He wanted a high-trust mindset to prevail over a low-trust one, using football and environmental clean-up as a tool to demonstrate that community leadership and a little selflessness could go a long way. The magic of this approach is evident in the lasting impact MYSA has had. By the time of his passing, MYSA and MUFC had birthed a movement in football in Kenya that resulted in nearly 75% of the personnel across the football ecosystem being MYSA beneficiaries, and at least 150,000 MYSA alumni to date. These were young Kenyan girls and boys who played in weekly football leagues, with some getting the chance to travel abroad to participate in global youth tournaments and become professional football players.

“If you do something, I’ll do something.”
– Bob Munro

BOB MUNRO

BOB THE MYSA & MUFC FOUNDER

Bob was the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) and Mathare United in one of Africa’s largest and poorest slums. Over 30,000 boys and girls now participate in the MYSA self-help youth sports, environmental cleanups, AIDS prevention, leadership training, jailed kids, photography, slum libraries and other community service projects. MYSA leaders and instructors have provided technical advice and assistance for youth in Botswana, Cape Verde, India, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Viet Nam and Zambia. There are now over 150,000 MYSA members and alumni in Kenya and many other countries. On the field, MYSA teams have won many Kenyan and international youth championships, including both FIFA Football for Hope tournaments at the FIFA World Cups in Germany (2006) and South Africa (2010). The Mathare United professional team is one of the top teams in the Kenyan Premier League and won several national cup championships and the 2008 Premier League title.

BOB THE ENVIRONMENTALIST

Bob worked as a senior adviser to governments and international agencies on integrating environmental and equity issues in economic planning and strengthening environmental policies,laws and institutions for sustainable development, especially in Africa since 1985. Highlights include Water Policy Challenges and Priorities in Africa (2003), the Fair Share Water Strategy for Africa (1996-01), the SADC Policy and Strategy for Equity-Led Growth for Sustainable Development (1995-2000), the External Review of the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (1994), Kenya’s 7th National Development Plan (1994-96), the Nigerian, Seychelles and SADC reports to the 1992 Earth Summit, the Seychelles National Development Plan and Environmental Management Strategy (1990-94) and Kampala Action Plan for Sustainable Development in Africa (1989). He was also the Special Adviser on international institutions, environmental law and development cooperation for the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) and was also the Chairman of the WCED Experts Group on Environmental Law (1984-87).

BOB THE FAMILY MAN

Bob’s mother was known as Jean White. He had three sisters namely Barbara, Marilyn and Jane. He met his wife Ingrid Sofia on January 15, 1975, in Stockholm during negotiations for setting UN-Habitat. Bob and Ingrid worked for the United Nations and relocated to Nairobi, Kenya in 1985. Their family became a little United Nations, including all continents except South America and Australia. The family consists of a Swedish daughter, Camilla, a Korean daughter, Mia, and three Kenyan sons: the late Waithaka, Kareithi, and Maina. Today, the family has grown into a much larger clan, with seven grandchildren: David, Vida, Ingrid, Sofia, Kieran, Bob, and Vera. Bob was the father-in-law to Brenda Waweru and Susan Mugo. In 2013, they lost Waithaka to cancer, and Bob ended up raising his two grandchildren, Sofia and Kieran, who were living with him at the time of his passing.

BOB THE MENTOR

Bob dedicated his life to mentoring youth from the 16 MYSA Zones into leadership positions both on and off the pitch. He was keen on developing leaders who had integrity and excelled in their various fields. Some of his notable mentees include:

  • Honourable Aaron Cheruiyot, Senate Majority Leader, Parliament of Kenya
  • Francis Kimanzi, Highest Achieving National Coach, Harambee Stars
  • Patricia Mutheu, Former MCA, Nairobi County/CEO, Matatu Owners Association
  • Moses Mutuli, Former President, Actuarial Society/General Manager, Sanlam East Africa
  • Dennis Oliech, Former Harambee Stars Captain
  • Salim Ali, former MUFC Head Coach/FKF/CAF Coaching Instructor
  • Ann Aluoch, Head Coach, MU Women FC/Deputy Head Coach, National U17 Women’s Team
  • Salim Babu, Head Coach, National U20 Men’s Team
  • Jackline Juma, Head Coach, National U20 Women’s Team
  • Anthony Kimani, Assistant Coach, Harambee Stars
  • Doreen Nabwire, First Kenya professional female football player
  • Jecton Obure, CEO, Mathare United FC
  • Johanna Omolo, 2019 FIFPRO Global Merit Award Laureate for Community Service
  • Arnold Origi, Former national goalkeeper/now coaching in Norway
  • Maurice Wambua, Lecturer in Mathematics, Kenyon College, Ohio, USA