Kenya Football in the 60s and 70s
Football was introduced in Kenya at the beginning of the 20th century by British settlers. Kenyans naturally took to the sport due to the simplicity of its nature. In the 1940s and 50s, The Kenya national team competed in what was then known as the Gossage cup that pitted the three East African countries. Among the stalwarts from that era were Shem Chimoto, Elijah Lidonde and Peter Oronge. Club teams competed in the Remington Cup organised by Kenya's then supreme soccer body the Football Association (FA). Teams from Caost Province in Particular Mwenge and Feisal, dominated the local scene, producing classy players like Kadir Farah, Ahmed Breik, Ali Sungura and Ali Kadjo.
Joe Kadenge was arguably Kenyas most accomplished player of the 1960s.
In 1960, the Kenya Football Federation was formed to govern Football in the country. Later the Confederation of East and central African countries was formed to organize regional tournaments.
The idea to start a countrywide league was mooted at a meeting held at the Railways Club and attended by football leaders in Nairobi in the early 1960s. The historic meeting was attended by Jimmy McFarnell (convenor), Isaac Lugonzo, Williams Ngaah and Tony Pinto, among others. A committee, headed by Lugonzo as founder-chairman with Pinto as secretary, was formed to work out the logistics of inaugurating and running the league. But the move was strongly resisted by the now-defunct Football Association of Kenya. It was not until April, 1963, that the idea became a reality when 10 clubs lined up for the inaugural championship. Nairobi with seven teams – Luo Union, Maragoli United, Marama, Nairobi Heroes, Bunyore, Kakamega and Samia Union – had the lion's share of the teams taking part in the league. Coast Province provided two sides – Liverpool (now Mwenge) and Feisal – while Rift Valley had one team, Nakuru All-Stars, to complete the original line-up. No teams were drawn from Nyanza, Western, Central and Eastern Provinces until later. Luo Union was the brainchild of the Oginga Odinga and represented members of the Luo community from what was the North Nyanza district.
The league started with four matches – two in Nairobi and two in Mombasa. The legendary Joe Kadenge, who turned out for Maragoli United, scored the fastest goal of the league. Nakuru All-Stars, coached by Ray Bachelor, the then Rift Valley provincial sports officer, won the first league title. Luo Union, inspired by some of their talented stars such as Daniel Nicodemus, Stephen Yongo, Fred Siranga and James Siang'a, became the second winners of the league in 1964 and capped a glorious season by beating The Ethiopian national team which was then the African Nations cup champions.
The same year saw a number of Luhya clubs, including Bunyore, Kakamega, Marama, Bunyatso, Samia Union and Bukusu Brotherhood merge to form Abaluhya United. Abaluhya represented the majority of football fans from the Luhya tribe. Maragoli FC represented members of the Maragoli community, a sub tribe of the Luhya.
Abaluhya debuted in the league in 1965 and finished fifth. Feisal from Mombasa won the league with Luo Union coming second on goal difference. In 1966, Abaluhya with gifted and outstanding players like Jonathan Niva, Joe Kadenge, Anthony Mukabwa, Daniel Anyanzwa, Moses Wabwayi, Charles Makunda, Livingstone Madegwa and John Nyawanga, clinched the league title and went on to retain it the following year.
In the mid-sixties, when the historic political rivalry between two Luo giants, Tom Mboya and Jaramogi Odinga, came a head, it split Luo Union right down the middle, giving birth to a splinter group called Luo Sports Club, sponsored by Tom Mboya. Due to Tom Mboya's inimitable influence in Nairobi the younger and much weaker Luo Sports club – not the mother-club Luo Union – was the one included in the Kenya National Football League (KNFL) programme. Thus excluded, most of the great Luo Union names decamped to Kisumu Hot Stars to be able to participate in the KNFL. They included William "Cege" Ouma, the goal wizard, John "Hatari" Owiti, a great defender, James Siang'a, the protracted national goaltender, and Chris Obure. Due to the futility of living in Nairobi and travelling to Kisumu every Friday for practice, Tom Mboya, the Bethuel A. Ogot, Zack Ramogo and Peter Anyumba, persuaded all former Luo Union players to form a single club. Thus in 1968, Luo sports club and Luo Union merged to form Gor Mahia. It was a move in the right direction as Gor Mahia made a dream debut, winning the league title on their first attempt. The late sixties also saw the formation of Ramogi FC which represented the large Luo community then residing in Mombasa.Nakuru All-Stars the won the league in 1969. All-Stars, however, folded up soon after clinching the title. Abaluhya regained the league title in 1970 – with an unbeaten record.
Ali Kadjo (right) of Feisal was among the best players in the country in the early 60s.
The tribal element in soccer added to the excitement, tension and rivalry in the local scene. A player crossing to a rival team would be risking death.
Members of the national team are introduced to a cabinet minister before a cup of nations qualifier in 1971.
The 1971 national league was scrapped when it was half-way through. It was resumed the following year and Kenya Breweries (now Tusker FC) won. In 1973, Abaluhya won back the championship and went on to complete a double by also taking the Nairobi Provincial Football League title. In 1974, following the election that brought Kenneth Matiba to power as Kenya Football Federation chairman, the name of the league was changed to Kenya Football League. Gor Mahia emerged as winners of the new league. The following year saw Luo Union FC wrest the title from Gor Mahia.
Kenya first made their appearance in the Nations Cup finals in Cameroon in 1972 – and were unlucky not to qualify for the semi-finals. In the tournament's opening match, Kenya were pitted against the hosts, the Indomitable Lions, who edged them out 2-1. Harambee Stars drew the first blood when player-coach Jonathan Niva slotted home a first half spot-kick. But the Cameroonians, cheered on by their home crowd, fought back more strongly in the second half to win 2-1. Harambee Stars then drew their subsequent matches against Togo (1-1) and Mali (1-1). But their chances of making it to the last four took a nose-dive when Mali held hosts Cameroon to a goalless draw. Leading by example, Niva scored two of three goals Kenya registered – one against Cameroon and another against Togo. The third one was netted by midfielder Jackson Aluko against Mali. After the Cameroon tournament, the CAF selectors named an All-African squad from the competing teams for a special match against the then World Cup champions, Brazil. Kenya, despite being eliminated in the
quarter-finals, provided one of the players – Livingstone Madegwa. However, owing to the breakdown in communication, the talented ace striker missed out.
Coach Eckard Krautzun gives instructions to the National team as they prepare for the 1972 Africa cup of nations.
Kenya Breweries made history in 1973 when they became the first Kenyan side to reach the Semi finals of a continenetal event. They reached the Semi Finals of the Champions cup, beating Ismailia of Egypt in the quarters. In 1975, Kenya won the East and Central Africa challenge cup (CECAFA Cup) for the first time ever. The arrival of German coach Bernard Zgoll in th early severties heraldes a new era in kenyan Football. Besides coaching the national team succesfully, Zgoll set up a series of national youth development centres all over the country. These centres produced several excellent players among them Sammy Owino Kempes, Dick Anyanga, Wilberforce Mulamba, Sammy Taabu, Sammy Onyango and Jared Ingutia just to mention a few.
In the mid 1970s, leadership wrangles within Gor Mahia, impelled Dan Owino – a former provincial commissioner and ambassador – to form another splinter group. Reverting to the name Luo Union, it once again took with it certain extremely important Gor Mahia players, including "Chege" Ouma, James Siang'a, Fred Siranga and Stephen Yongo, the last one probably Kenya's most dependable utility player ever. This was the talent that enabled them to beat Gor Mahia at Mwanza in the East and Central African club competition.
But they were all nearing retirement age compared with the much more youthful Gor Mahia outfit, sporting the inimitable midfielder Alan Thigo, the speedy John Chore, the no-nonsense Bobby Ogola, the keeper Dan Odhiambo and two dazzling teenage supernovae, Nahashon Oluoch "Lule" and Sammy Owino "Kempes".
Luo Union however went on to build a formidable playing unit that included the likes of Agonda Lukio, Jackson Aluko, Apollo Obota and Charles Ochieng. They won the CECAFA cup in 1976 and 1977 with Agonda Lukio finishing as the top scorer.
1978 was the year when Kenya Brewries captured the imagination of Football fans countrywide. That year they won the league comfortably with a star studded line up that included Elly Adero, Binz Mwakolo, Livingstone Madegwa, James Tiema and goalkeeper Mohammed Magogo, one of Kenya's best ever keepers.
In 1979, Gor mahia made history by becoming the first team from East and Central Africa to reach the finals of a continental event when the reached the Finals of the cup winners cup, eleiminating the much fancied defending champions, Horoya in the semi finals. It was the best team ever assembled by a Kenyan club at the time, with quality players at each position. The defence was marshalled by Bobby Ogolla and included Peter Otieno Bassanga, Paul Oduwo "cobra" and Mike Ogolla "Machine". Allan Thigo quite possibly the best playmaker in Kenya's history controlled the midfield, ably assisted by Sammy Owino Kempes and Tim Ayieko. Schoolboy, wonderboy Nashon Oluoch "Lule" and Goerge Yoga played on the wings supporting centre forward Andrew Obunga.
Allan Thigo pictured above soaring above the opposition, was the main architect of the Gor Mahia side that reached the Cup winners cup final in 1979