Whistle of ambition: Waweru, Taylor-inspired teen referee dreaming of World Cup duties after running show in Vihiga
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Reading Time: 7min | Fri. 01.05.26. | 18:45
In the dusty village pitches of Vihiga, where football breathes life into communities and emotions run as high as the afternoon sun, the teenager has quietly grown into a figure of authority, learning to control chaos with calm and turning curiosity into a calling
At just 16, when his peers are still chasing the ball and dreaming of scoring the winning goal, Hillary Siva has chosen to stand at the centre of it all, where every decision carries weight and every whistle can tilt the balance of a game.
In the dusty village pitches of Vihiga, where football breathes life into communities and emotions run as high as the afternoon sun, the teenager has quietly grown into a figure of authority, learning to control chaos with calm and turning curiosity into a calling.
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A Form Three student at Esibakala Senior School-and among the last candidates of the 8-4-4 system, Siva is steadily becoming a familiar name across Vihiga County, not for what he does with the ball, but for how he reads the game.
His journey does not follow the usual script of a young footballer chasing stardom, rather it bends into a path less travelled, shaped by instinct, patience and a stubborn refusal to walk away from the sport he loves.
Long before he understood the responsibility that comes with a whistle, Siva had already found himself drawn to it.
His story begins in Class Seven at Bugemba Football Academy, a grassroots setup born in 2020 to bring together young players from Luanda and Emuhaya during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 period.
Like many boys from Western Kenya, his first dream was simple and familiar, to command the midfield as a number eight and leave his mark on the pitch through play.
But football has a way of revealing hard truths early.
“We had started a team at Esaba, training in the morning and others in the evening. I was playing as a midfielder, but there were many of us in that position, sometimes six, and some were better than me,” he recalls.
Instead of forcing a door that refused to open, he quietly searched for another.
“So I had to look for another way, and that way was to ask my coach Vincent Muhando for the whistle. After matches he would sit me down and tell me where I needed to improve.”
That decision did not come with noise or celebration, but it carried the weight of a turning point.
While others fought for space in midfield, Siva stepped aside and found a different kind of influence, which required not just understanding the game, but interpreting it.
“I knew I had the passion for refereeing early. During our 11-a-side matches they would give me the whistle, I would try my things, and the coach would correct me.”
From that moment, football stopped being just a game to watch and became something to study.
Where others saw entertainment, he saw patterns, movement and decision making and his weekends turned into informal classrooms with coach Muhando.
“If there was a match like Chelsea against Manchester City, I would go to my coach’s place and watch. He would show me how the referee runs, how he makes decisions, and I would learn from that.”
In those quiet sessions, far from packed stadiums and television lights, a foundation was being laid.
Even at around 11, he was already thinking about improvement in ways that many players his age had not yet discovered, finding ways to track what he did right and where he went wrong.
There was no structured system pushing him forward, no clear pathway laid out in front of him, so he built one step by step, by sticking to his routine and discipline.
During the COVID-19 period, when the world slowed down and football fields fell silent, he moved in the opposite direction, coming from a single parent, he used to wake up early, finish chores and head out to train.
“I took myself to the field. No one was supporting me, but they were not against me playing football either.”
Guidance, however, came from those who saw his hunger.
His coach, Vincent Muhando, sharpened his instincts, offering corrections that slowly turned raw effort into understanding.
Beyond the academy, National Super League (NSL) side Luanda Villa became another classroom, one that opened his eyes to the bigger picture.
“Luanda Villa chairman played a big role in my development. He ensured I travelled with the team to matches, not just for the trip, but to watch referees, how they run and how they make decisions. That is how I kept learning, slowly by slowly.”
Those journeys, stretching from Mombasa to Ukunda and Machakos, exposed him to a different rhythm of football, where decisions are faster, pressure is heavier and mistakes are rarely forgiven.
Each trip added a layer to his growth which shaped a young mind that was already learning to see the game through a different lens.
Then came the moment that would test everything he had gathered.
In 2021, barely a year into his refereeing journey, Siva walked into Mumboha Grounds with a boldness that did not match his age.
The occasion was the Anyore Super Cup final between Kapa Ladies and Nyuki, a fixture that carries weight within the Luanda and Emuhaya communities.
Without hesitation, he approached Vihiga County referees’ boss Andrew Opulu and made a request that would have unsettled many at his stage.
“I told him to give me a match. He was shocked and asked if I knew it was a big final.”
But Siva was not there to watch.
“At the end of the day, he accepted and gave me the uniform and cards, and I went straight to the field.”
It was a baptism by fire, a moment where preparation met reality.
The game was tense, yet he stepped into the centre and did what he had taught himself to do, manage, observe and decide.
His assessment remains grounded.
“Out of 50, I would give myself 25. It was an average performance.”
Yet the reception that followed told a story of its own.
“When I left the stadium, almost everyone wanted to be close to me. I got more than KSh 5,000 from the fans, and I used that money to buy two pairs of uniforms.”
That moment did more than reward him, it affirmed his place, from then on, his name began to travel across Vihiga, carried by word of mouth from one tournament to another, until he became a familiar choice whenever a big match needed steady hands.
“I have officiated many tournaments in Vihiga, including finals like the Anyore Super Cup, Kidake finals and others organised by leaders such as Dan Nyaungu and Omboko Milemba.
So far I have handled more than 50 matches, and around 10 of them were major games. I have also officiated about four finals.”
For now, his stage remains the village grounds, but his vision stretches far beyond them, as he targets to reach into arenas he has only watched on screens.
“Let us say four places, CHAN, FIFA Series, AFCON and the World Cup.”
Beneath that ambition lies a deeper motivation, one that does not need a crowd to be heard.
His father, who once played for Luanda Villa, remains a silent presence in his journey, and says it is a memory that fuels his push forward.
“I want to work hard so that my dad in heaven can see that his boy is doing well.”
Siva understands that passion alone will not carry him to the top.
Formal training is a step he is determined to take, and progress is already visible.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vihiga branch has recognised his effort, zoning him to officiate in the Under 15 league and awarding him a Class III C referee certificate after his exams at Ebusakami Grounds.
“FKF Vihiga has really tried. They gave me a chance in the youth league and awarded me a certificate, but I know that is not enough. I want to go for proper classes and improve.”
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His inspiration draws from both home and abroad.
Locally, he studies the authority and composure of Peter Kamaku Waweru, while internationally he is drawn to the calm control of Anthony Taylor, a referee he describes as someone who brings order even when the game threatens to spiral.
“My role model is Peter Kamaku Waweru because of how he makes decisions and controls the game under pressure. I also like Anthony Taylor because he is a no nonsense referee, he keeps the game calm even when everything is intense.”
In a game where players often take centre stage, Hillary is learning to command attention without touching the ball, and shape matches through presence, clarity and courage.
His story is still being written on uneven pitches and in small tournaments, but the direction is clear according to the youngster.
One day, if his journey continues on this path, the whistle that first echoed in village fields may yet be heard on the biggest stages in world football.
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