In 2007 after unsuccessfully contesting the Gem Constituency Parliamentary Seat I made a firm decision to serve the community in the football arena but my entry in the sports arena was dramatic. It would not have been successful had it not been for the blessing of the club patron.
It is first imperative for me to point out that the Right Honourable Raila Amolo Odinga was the first person to be conferred the title of club patron and has been the holder of that office to date. He became the first club patron in the early 1990s.
My entry into the club leadership as chairman had been dramatic in the sense that one Sunday morning in May 2008 while working in my law firm offices in Nairobi, noisy club fans forcefully gained entry and demanded that I become the Gor Mahia boss in place of the then chairman Erastus Amondi Okul.
One of them actually forced me into my pick-up vehicle and in breach of all the traffic rules drove me to the Nairobi City Stadium where I encountered an equally restless and noisy gathering that instantly pronounced me the club chairman despite my spirited protests.
Anyway, I outlined the legal requirements for election of the club chairman and the need to rope in Okul. I subsequently consulted Okul and the club patron. They both endorsed my candidature. I was then unanimously elected the chairman of the club. Without directing the club members in subsequent elections, Raila generally advised members to evaluate the performance of the Gor office before voting out any officeholder. He always made it clear that he was personally satisfied with my club leadership.
Raila’s financial support was not only consistent but also immeasurable. He was instrumental in procuring the first visible club sponsorship, Brookside Dairies through their Tuzo milk brand effective 2012 to 2014 and had a hand in the procurement of the two distinct partnerships that the club has signed with betting firm SportPesa.
Besides he was visibly present whenever we faced financial challenges as we prepared to participate in regional and continental competitions, meeting the cost of travel and accommodation. He consistently motivated both our players and technical bench.
His unbelievable generosity was frequently noted by his cash donations after the annual Mashemeji derby to both our club and AFC Leopards.
Our departed patron consistently organized youth tournaments in various parts of the republic to provide opportunities to both non-professional and professional youth football players to develop their talents.
I witnessed this in tournaments held annually at Maranda High School and Miguena Sports Ground. He understood and appreciated the importance of talent nurturing having played the game in his youth. He played for top tier side Luo Union Football Club in the early 1960s and for East Germany Magdev University while studying engineering in the mid-1960s.
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier (left) presents a hoodie to club patron Raila Odinga in Nairobi on October 14, 2020.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
His support for football legends such as the late Joe Kadenge is evidence of his love of football beyond his role as our club patron.
Raila has without a doubt been our club fan number one judged from the manner of his vigorous almost athletic celebrations whenever our team scored a goal.
One may take issue with his enthusiastic and unapologetic support of Arsenal Football Club in the English Premier League. Our patron, accompanied by other famous football enthusiast like Peter Kenneth travelled to the UK in year 2018 to watch Gor Mahia play Everton at Goodison Park, Liverpool in a SportPesa-sponsored tournament.
As a fitness enthusiast Baba would give me appointments to discuss club issues at 6am and I would always find him working out in the gym that early.
His desire to see competency in football management started in the mid-sixties. In the 1970s he joined Kenneth Matiba and other football stakeholder to work on a formidable football federation in Kenya. The likes of Isaac Lugonzo and Martin Shikuku were already in football management.
Although Gor has not succeeded yet, in building a club stadium, our departed patron made two failed attempts to procure land for the project at Embakasi and Kasarani.
He was however instrumental in the development of both the Raila Odinga Stadium Homa Bay and the Jaramogi Oginga Stadium in Siaya.
Was it a premonition? I don’t know. But on the evening of October 2, no sooner than my flight from Manchester touched down at JKIA , I received a call from our patron’s assistant asking me to get the entire Gor executive committee together and go meet Raila at his Karen home the following morning.
At the meeting, without any solicitation Raila donated Sh10 million to Gor Mahia and urged us to ensure that our club presented to him this season’s Premier League trophy. He also indicated to us that he would leave the country that evening.
On October 10, after Gor Mahia won the ODM 20th Anniversary trophy at Mbaraki in Mombasa, I sent Raila a note via WhatsApp of out achievement and an inquiry of when he would be available to for us to present him with the trophy. I never received a response.
