1967 M R D'Souza Gold Cup Winners: RGI : RGI defeated Kampala Sikh Union 2 - 1 at City Park Stadium on 16.4.1967Goal Scorers: Railway Institute: Nereus Fernandes & Tyrone D'Souza; Kampala S.U.: Ajit SinghBack Row: Alvitio Abreau; Silvano Gomes; Sylvan Fernandes; Neurus Fernandes; Leo Fernandes; James Fernandes; Octavio PereiraSitting: Tryrone de Souza: Chong; George Pereira (coach); Paul Nazareth (Cap); Moses Fernandes (S sec); Alu Mendonca; Reynolds D SouzaFloor (L - R): Polly Fernandes; Max Alphonso
POLLY FERNANDES
Nation Journalist
By Cyprian Fernandes
POLYCARP FERNANDES,
the journalist who died in London on November 17, 2020, was a minor martyr of
sorts. Fernandes was 74. The man he was named after, the Christian martyr Polycarp,
was burned at the stake (AD 156) for speaking his mind and sticking to his
faith. He was unpretentious, humble and direct. Polycarp, the reporter, was no
saint but he was honest, humble and straightforward. He was also hilarious with
a permanent smile. He was not a liar, nor was he a sensationalist.
Polly was deported from Kampala, Uganda after
reporting on the football tournament, the East African Challenge Cup in October
1969. The Challenge Cup, between Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania,
replaced the unforgettable old Gossage Cup.
Hence, all who knew him (and even those who did not
know him in person but followed his stories in the Daily and Sunday
Nation, Kenya’s leading newspapers) were shocked by his deportation.
Tanzania were improving all the time but the
focus was all on Kenya and Uganda. Both teams played hard, unrelenting, never
giving an inch, tough-tackling man-to-man football. Both sides had their light-touch
players, too, but it was the gladiators in both teams the fans loved. The
supporters were also gladiatorial in the stands. Loud, abusive and sometimes
physical, they would quite happily invade the pitch regardless of the police,
the police dogs and other security personnel.
Both teams had a philosophy, in Swahili: “Damu kwa
damu.” Blood for blood, and “no surrender.”
Most players, administrators and match officials
recognised in Polycarp a reporter of integrity, fair and unbiased. A visiting
Russian football team were so delighted with his match reports that they
presented him with an honorary Order of Lenin, a Lenin badge. Polycarp called
it as he saw it, that was his job, nothing else but the facts. There used to be a banner on Nation newspapers that said, “the truth shall make you free.”
A lot of Nation pioneers made it their mantra.
On October 1, 1969, Kenya met Tanzania, and against
all odds, lost 3-0. Worse, it meant that Uganda, Kenya’s eternal rivals would
keep the trophy on goal difference even if they failed to beat Kenya. Uganda
had already scored 10 goals and conceded none.
Here is how the Uganda Argus reporter saw
events unfold: “Kenya’s centre-forward William “Chege” Ouma was sent off the
field two minutes before the end by referee Kizito-Mubanda after he was hit with
the ball. The same player had earlier been booked by the Kizito-Mubanda for a
similar foul.
“Police were forced to use dogs to disperse a large
crowd which invaded the field. Ouma refused to leave the field.”
It was a hard-fought match but Tanzania stood tall and
defended brilliantly.
The Sunday Post in Nairobi said: “No official
statement has been given but Fernandes’ match report contained a reference to
about “10 Ugandan policemen rushing to a Kenyan player after a row with the
referee. Sections of the crowd also joined in the melee.
“One of the other reasons for his (Poly’s) deportation was that
the anti-Kenya feelings displayed by the Police and the crowd might have
embarrassed the Ugandan Government which has close relations Kenya as partners
of the East African Community which also includes Tanzania.”
On behalf of Polly, the British High Commissioners in
Kampala and Nairobi made representations to the Ugandan authorities.
The relations between Kenya and Uganda have always
been dicey. Like two country cousins, this relationship had conflicts and
co-operation as the key components. Professional envy was part of the reason
the seeds of which sown by the colonial government by the uneven development of
the two countries, Kenya, of course, was the apple of the British eyes.
Hence, there was no love lost between the two
countries. Even with the East African Community which was supposed to unite
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, it was a matter of choosing the lesser of to evils,
remain united under protest or disband (which happened in 1977, only for the
EAC to be born again much later).
So, what did Polly
write to get him deported (probably was the first time ever that a sports
journalist was deported for writing the truth). Norman da Costa, Nation Sports
Editor said, “The match between Kenya and Uganda for the championship turned
into a wild, rough encounter in which the referee appeared to lose control of
the game. A full-scale riot ensued with police using tear gas and charging onto
the field and into the stands.’’
“Polly, of course,
captured this drama in his report. The
following day we got a call that Polly was being deported -not to Kenya - but
the United Kingdom since he was a British subject. The case was dealt with by the higher-ups at
the Kenya Embassy and the British High Commission while the Nation tried
to get him returned home. In the
meantime, I had to console his Dad Darmel and Mum Carlota and keep them posted
on a near-daily basis as we were neighbours behind Mlango Kubwa (the big
gate) in Pangani.
It was a traumatic
time for the whole family, as his brother James recalls: “I got home that evening (can’t
remember the date or month) and that there was a lot of commotion in the house.
My family were all distressed and devasted by the news that Polly had been
deported. We did not know what to think and we feared the worst. In the next
day or two we heard that Polly was being put on a flight to London.
“My brother Jacinto contacted our sister Sarita in London and
asked to meet Polly on arrival. He stayed with Sarita and her family until his
return to Nairobi six months later.”
The Nation carried
a brief report about Polly’s deportation: “His deportation follows two reports
he made in connection with the Kenya-Uganda match which contained allegations
about the conduct of the Uganda Police.
“Mr. Fernandes was
interviewed by police several times on Friday morning and afternoon but was
allowed to return to his hotel.” He thought the whole matter was over but he
was detained in the evening and told he would be deported. He was put on a
flight to London which did not stop over in Nairobi.
Here is what Polly
reported:
FROM POLLY FERNANDES
IN KAMPALA
In one of soccer’s
most disgraceful scenes, Kenya reserve Peter Ouma was pounced on and manhandled
by about 10 policemen when he went on to the field in the 58th
minute after the game was interrupted following a scene when a section of the
crowd ran on to the field because Kenyan players argued with the Ugandan
referee Kizito Mubuganda. Referee Mubuganda had just ordered off Kenya
centre-forward William “Chege” Ouma after the Kenyan had deliberately hit (sic)
the ball to the referee in this Challenge Cup match.
The trouble started
at the Nakivubo Stadium when Kenya were awarded a corner kick. Outside-left
John Nyawanga gave a short pass to Ouma but the referee ordered it to be
retaken because he had signalled for the kick to be taken.
After Ouma was sent
off, Kenya players crowded around Mubuganda protesting. Police ran onto the
field after the crowd joined the altercation, but for reason best known to
themselves, Peter Ouma was singled out and manhandled till Kenya football
officials ran in and rescued him.
Polly Fernandes was
temporarily sacrificed by the Uganda authorities on the altar of political
expediency.
True, and Polly was not to know this, it happened at a time when there was consternation in the political cabinets of the three East African countries about the future of the East African Community. Kenya feared the growing shift towards Communism or socialism by Uganda and its partnership with the Socialist Tanzania. I chased the story until the three heads of state met in Nairobi in an attempt to thrash out their differences and concerns. I also got a chance to ask Presidents Milton Obote, Julius Nyerere and Jomo Kenyatta a few questions at an Embakasi Airport press conference. The last question was to President Kenyatta: “Mzee, will the East African Community survive.” His answer was: “Everything is good.” But he did not look happy at all. Angry, really.
Anyway, Polly got back to Kenya six months later and carried on where he left off. Just got on with the job. There was nothing on his conscience. He was an innocent man.
NORMAN DA COSTA: AN early morning telephone call on Thursday, November 12, 2020, sent a chill down my spine. At the other end of the phone was Joan do Rosario asking me to find a chair and take a seat as she had terrible news to share. There was no need for that as I was still in bed. Then, between sobs, Joan floored me with what felt like an uppercut to the jaw by Mike Tyson. My longtime buddy Polycarp Fernandes was no longer with us. My dear and close friend, a classmate, hockey teammate, workmate at East Africa’s premier newspaper, the Daily Nation, and best man at my wedding to Delphine, had unexpectedly died of a massive heartache. He leaves behind his wife Vanessa and son Malcolm, his brothers Jacinto and James, sisters Sarita and Tina, their spouses and families.
During this pandemic that is sweeping the world, this sad news compounded matters and comes on a string of recent losses. Polly was the third close classmate of our class of 1963 to die in the last two years. Alfred de Araujo left us in 2018 and Eugene Pereira in 2019.
Many knew Polly as a thorough gentleman, a first-class field hockey goalkeeper and a top-notch sports reporter who made world headlines of his own in 1999. No obituary would be complete without mention of his love for food.
He sported a perpetual
smile and was never easily flustered despite being the brunt of so many jokes.
Like nearly every student at Dr Ribeiro Goan School in Nairobi, Polly had his
share of nicknames. He was called Darmel as he bore a strong resemblance to his
father; Marabu since he had a curly mop of hair and Corned Beef because of his
love for corned beef sandwiches. The man credited for christening him Marabu
was our late teacher Michael Britto.
During one vacation to
Malindi, a whole bunch of friends sought refuge from a fierce rainstorm in a
dark empty hut and Britto had no idea who he was in the room. So, he went
around touching each one’s head until he got to this curly head. “This must be
Polly,” he said.
Then there was Corned Beef.
On a Hornets hockey team visit to Mombasa, Polly and his teammates Steve
Fernandes and Hygino Vaz leapt off the slowing train as it was inching its way
to a dead stop in Voi.
On the journey to Mombasa,
finger food provided by the various mothers was stored away in one of the
carriages. There was music, card games and various other activities to keep
everyone occupied. However, when they stopped for dinner, there was none to be
found in the carriage where the food had been stored. Laughing from ear to ear,
the trio admitted their crime. On the way back, Fernandes arranged for a kind
lady to pack a box of finger foods and it was stored on the train with a guard
of four to keep the three food robbers at bay. When dinner came, they asked for
some food. No! No food for the trio because they had eaten all the food the
last time. So, as we approached a train station, they wanted to be first in
line for their sandwiches. Jumping off a moving train is forbidden and as luck
would have it, they were nabbed by the local police. As there were no available
cells, the two had to crouch under a police officer’s desk. It must have been
pure agony for Polly dreaming of that sandwich.
Another teammate Hilary
Fernandes went to the police station to enquire about their whereabouts. “I
could not see them but heard a faint cry for help. They were under the desk,’’
Hilary laughed.
“Our manager Cyprian
Fernandes rushed to see the station master who turned out to be Menino Viegas,
a fellow Goan but he was not paying any attention to Fernandes’ pleadings.
“They have broken the law”.
Fernandes asked Hilary to
see if he could convince Viegas and get him to release the “starving”
prisoners.
“After pleading with Menino Viegas (a hockey
player himself) for what seemed like an eternity, they were allowed out. We
will never forget that day,” said Hygino, who now lives in Mississauga. “We can
all laugh about it now but it wasn’t funny then.’’ Polly’s love for food was
legendary.
Once at an Indian
restaurant in Pangani, Polly, Octavio (Pereira) and I were handed four gulab
jamuns (Indian sweets) following our meal. We tossed a coin to see who would
win the extra gulab jamun. Polly was the winner but before Polly could get his
hands on it, Octavio quickly stuffed it into his mouth. The next minute we saw
the confectionery fly out of Octavio’s mouth and on to the floor. A furious
Polly had punched him in the face.
Polly was a superb
hockey goalkeeper in school and went on to play for the Railway Goan
Institute. He was a member of the RGI
team that won the M.R. de Souza Gold Cup and several other local trophies. He
also represented Nairobi in the Tata Cup and went on to play against the
touring Pakistan national team led by incomparable Gen. Mansoor Atif.
Also, on the RGI
team was his younger brother James, who was an excellent left-back. Polly’s older brother Jacinto was Kenya’s
badminton champion and represented the country at the Commonwealth Games in
Edinburgh in 1970.
At the Daily
Nation Polly assumed the soccer and field hockey beats from me after I became
sports editor. He was a dedicated
reporter who knew his sports well. After
earning his stripes, his first overseas assignment was covering the world field
hockey championships in Barcelona followed by the East African Challenge Cup
soccer tournament in Kampala in October 1969.
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