Grappling with inter-tribal football transfers

By BETHUEL ODUO

One fine weekend, during the 2012 transfer window, a delegation of three ‘scouts’ from a leading community club made a bold move. They visited the parents of a budding striker, who played for a rival team, to persuade his parents that the young man should join their club.

They found the player’s mum at home and presented their case: “Please convince ‘our son’ to play for our community club. We are not doing well and are very worried that ‘our son’ is helping our enemies.”

The mum listened silently then posed a one-million-dollar question: “Who told you my boy belongs to your community? I am the mother, I know his dad and I know he is in the right team!”

The delegation left, tails between the legs, and dropped the matter like a hot potato.

Sometimes back, when John Okello Zangi defected from Gor Mahia to AFC Leopards, K’Ogalo fans could not believe his courage. Fast forward to 2013. In a typical ‘mashemeji’ (Gor vs AFC) derby you will find many players with either the Luo or Luhya blood playing for any of the teams. It is not a deal as big as it was 40 years ago.

Eric Masika moved from Gor to AFC, and Victor Ochieng’ plays for AFC unlike his father Maurice Ochieng’ ‘Sonyi’, who is a K’Ogalo legend. Chris Wekesa and Edwin Lavatsa are busy helping K’Ogalo stay atop the table and Noah Abich just signed off from AFC.

 

Earlier, Paul Ochieng’ defended for AFC and Dan Shikanda won accolades with K’Ogalo. George Sunguti was kingpin for the Gor defence as we recall Francis Kadenge scoring great goals for Re-union (perceived to be a Luo club). Today, Peter Opiyo is a midfield wizard for AFC as Solomon Nasio exhibits the best work rate at Gor. Tribalism is gradually dying within the playing units of the Big Two.

The first dramatic inter-tribal soccer signing happened in November 26, 1976 when the then fiery Abaluhya (now AFC Leopards) defender Edward Wamalwa fell out of favour and left in a huff to sign for Luo Union FC (Later Re-Union). He actually helped the team win the East and Central Club Championship hosted in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Wamalwa was a tough defender, who had unique attributes. It is rumoured that he used to drown one or two cold beers just before stepping into the pitch to ‘charge’ his system, in a hush-hush arrangement with the coach. Whether or not that helped is a matter of debate, but he was always solid in defence.

Gor’s Obwaka brothers — William and Enoch — were always a thorn in the AFC flesh. This was crowned during the 1985 CECAFA club tournament in Khartoum where William acted like a one-man-army, scoring two goals past the legendary Mahmoud Abbas to conquer AFC.

My friend Dan Shikanda left Leopards for Gor because he was tired of being benched. When he joined K’Ogalo, a ‘rival’ community team, he received a heroic welcome and got regular appearances that earned him a place in the national team. Coupled with his brilliant academic qualifications as a Vet, the sky was the limit. He is currently a TV sports analyst.

The freedom to cross from AFC to Gor and vice versa has provided many players with an opportunity to showcase their talent on a bigger platform.

The current situation where players can defect without ‘annoying’ the community is healthy. The quick ‘adoption and warm embrace’ that a player from the ‘other community’ receives should be lauded. Signing is purely on merit and not your tribe or DNA as it used to be.