The year 2020 was no doubt one of the darkest for Kenya’s sporting fraternity and sorority.
Apart from the struggle by sportspeople to make ends meet, after sporting activities - which are their source of livelihood - were suspended by the government due to Covid-19 pandemic, it was a year made worse by the passing on of numerous sports legends.
Here, Nation Sport remembers the sports persons who passed away this year, and whose contributions towards the development of the country’s sport will remain etched in the memory of many people for several years to come:
Soon after ushering in the year 2020, Kenya’s hockey fraternity was thrown into mourning after Oguk, a legend of the 1988 Olympics, died on January 5.
Kenya men’s hockey team player Charles Oguk at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after arriving from Egypt in this undated photograph.
Photo credit: Ondari Ogega | nation Media Group
The father of six— four boys and two girls — who was a corporal at Ahero Police Station in Nyando, Kisumu County, died after a short illness at the nearby Ahero Medical Centre.
To those who knew Oguk, his death awakened to them his great days on the turf, which earned him the nickname “Power” since he was a hard nut to crack in defence.
The 1987 fourth All African Games held in Nairobi, where Kenya finished first, the 1991 fifth All African Games in Egypt, where Kenya won a silver medal, and the sixth All African Games in Zimbabwe in 1995 are some of the major events Oguk featured in.
In the local scene, he played for Simba Union Hockey Club and Kenya Police.
Sorrow engulfed the entire nation on March 19 after news broke that Omino, a football tactician since 1975, had succumbed to thyroid cancer at his Ng’iya home in Siaya County.
Disbanded Telkom (formerly Kisumu Posta) and Agro Chemicals, Western Stima and Kisumu All Stars are some of the clubs that the experienced tactician who was nicknamed “Mario Zagallo” handled.
Western Stima coach Henry Omino looks on during their SportPesa Premier League match against Tusker on August 13, 2016 at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Ouma, a former Harambee Stars and Gor Mahia striker who was nicknamed “Ogwanjo”, took the final bow on May 2 after a long battle with stroke and other ailments.
He was part of the Harambee Stars squad that competed in the 1972 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
In K’Ogalo’s colours, Ouma was part of the squad that won the league unbeaten in 1976, and that which in 1979 lost 6-0 aggregate to Cameroon’s Canon Sportiff in the finals of the Confederation of African Football Cup winners Cup.
Gor Mahia legend, the late Martin 'Ogwanjo' Ouma.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Suleiman Khamisi Shamba, 62
The former Harambee Stars and Gor Mahia defender passed away on June 30 at a Kisumu hospital after developing kidney complications.
He is remembered as a solid defender that was part of K'Ogalo squad that lost 6-0 on aggregate to Cameroon’s Canon Sportiff in the finals of the 1979 Caf Cup winners Cup.
At the international scene, Shamba was part of the Harambee Stars squads that won the Cecafa Challenge Cup in 1981, 1983 and in 1985.
A dark cloud hang over Kenyan football on August 16 after word reached home that Kevin, the youngest of the Oliech’s brothers, had succumbed to lung cancer in Germany.
Social media was awash with condolences to the family of the former Harambee Stars striker. At club level, Kevin turned-out for Mathare United, Tusker, Nairobi City Stars, Thika United, Ushuru, Gor Mahia and now defunct Nakumatt.
Mathare United's Kevin Oliech during a past training session at Goan Institute grounds.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The former Kenya sevens rugby winger died in a tragic road accident along Mombasa Road in the wee hours of May 23.
He featured for Ulinzi from 2000 to 2004, winning the National Sevens Circuit in 2002 and 2003. Thereafter, he moved to Kenya Harlequins in 2004 and won the Kenya Cup with the club in 2008.
Makaka was part of the Kenya Sevens squad to the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong and the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
He had 57 appearances for Kenya Sevens in the Sevens World Series, 28 tries and ranked 142 points. He is 21st on the Kenya Sevens all-time try scorer chart for the World Series.
Kenya Sevens player Allan Makaka (second left) at the Western Union Driftwood Sevens rugby tournament at Mombasa Sports Club.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Wamwiri, who represented Kenya in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, died on September 6 while being rushed to Kenyatta National hospital by neighbours.
Wamwiri won a gold medal in the 2007 Africa Games in Algiers and silver medals in flyweight at the 2003 Abuja and 2011 Maputo African Games.
He qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by triumphing in Africa qualifiers in Tripoli, Libya.
Dickson Wamwiri competes against Mu-Yen Chu of Taiwan during their men's -58 kg taekwondo match at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Photo credit: File | Nation media Group
Athletics legend Jipcho breathed his last on July 24 at Fountain Hospital in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, after developing multiple organs failure.
Jipcho — who started his athletics career in the 1960's — is remembered as one of the first unofficial pacemakers after sacrificing chances of winning a medal to his compatriot Kipchoge Keino in the 1,500m final at the 1968 Mexico Olympics Games.
He claimed silver in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, before bagging silver medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics in the steeplechase.
In 1973, he won gold in 5,000m and steeplechase during the All Africa Games in Lagos.
In 1974, he bagged gold medals in the 5,000m and steeplechase along with a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.
A road named after Kenyan athletics legend Ben Jipcho in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Rosemary “Mara” Aluoch, 44
Until her demise on October 4 at St Francis Hospital in Kasarani, Nairobi after a short illness, Aluoch, a former Harambee Starlets goalkeeper was the team’s goalkeeper trainer and kit manager.
She played for Starlets from 1995 to 2012 and featured in Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) qualifiers against Djibouti and Cameroon in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
Aluoch also played for Makongeni Youth Club, Makolanders and Minicuca team and impressed during stints in Wales, London and Dallas Texas in 1994 and 2004.
She was the founder of "Dadrege" youth football academy in Dandora, which aimed at keeping street children away from crime.
The initiative earned her the Community Hero Award during the 2017 Sports Personality of the Year gala.
Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Rosemary Aluoch in action during their training session at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on February 11, 2014.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The four times Kenya Open Bisley champion, who competed at the United Kingdom Bisley and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games died on November 17 at Karen Hospital. He won the prestigious Kenya Open Bisley in 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2013.
The former Football Kenya Limited president succumbed to Covid-19 related complications at Mombasa hospital on November 14.
Hatimy was a long serving football administrator, who was at the helm of football management in Kenya between 2005 and 2011.
Body of former Kenya Football Federation (KFF) chairman Mohammed Hatimy arrives at Masjid Ummukulthum mosque in Mombasa for special prayers ahead of his burial at Kikowani Muslim Cemetery in this photo taken on November 14, 2020.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
Pudo, the Nairobi City Stars’ long-serving manager collapsed and died at his Nairobi house on December 5. Before joining City Stars in 2014, Pudo served as Tusker assistant coach and team manager between 2008 and 2012.
Onyango, a Kenya Simba and KCB Rugby fullback collapsed and died on March 3 at his house in Ngong, Nairobi.
The Maseno School alumnus had played for Kenya across all representative levels starting with Under-19 in 2010 to his Test debut for Kenya Simbas in 2012.
Kenya Morans' Tony Onyango avoids a tackle from Samurai's Perez Pierre during the Safari Sevens rugby tournament at the Safaricom Kasarani Stadium on October 3, 2015.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The Sigalame High School rugby 15s player succumbed to head injuries on March 15 after a collision during the Busia County Secondary School Term One games.
Scans at Busia County Referral Hospital revealed that the Form Three student had internal bleeding in the head.
Omoke’s death on August 17 was a big blow to his team, Shabana in their quest to qualify for the top flight league. The defender succumbed to a stomach injury he sustained during a local friendly match at Gesure Primary School grounds in Nyamira County.
