Kenya Football in the 1980s

Between 1981 and 1983, Kenya won three succesive CECAFA cup titles. That stellar team included among others Mahmoud Abbass in goal, Bobby Ogolla and Josephat Murila marshalled the watertight defence, Jared Ingutia and Wilberforce Mulamba were pivotal in attack while Joe Masiga and Ambrose Ayoyi formed a formidable strikeforce. In 1981, Kenya beat hosts Tanzania 1-0 thanks to a freekick by James Ouma "jacaranda " to win the first of three successive regional diadems. The following year, Mahmoud Abbass gave a spectacular display of penalty saving to help Kenya beat Uganda in the final played in Kampala's Nakivubo stadium.

Mahmoud Abbas, the best goalkeeper Kenya has ever produced. Inset is a group photo of harambee stars before they departed for Malawi to play in an Africa cup qualifier.

On the club scene, Kenyan clubs won all except one of the East and Central Africa club cups between 1977 and 1987. AFC Leopards in particular were dominant. Boasting a galaxy of stars including Josephat Murila, Mahmoud Abass, Francis kadenge, Wilberforce Mulamba and Joe Masiga, they won in 1979, 82,83 and 84, Luo Union were dominant in the mid seventies, wiinning in 1976 and 1977 , with players like Agonda Lukio, Appollo Obota and Charles Ochieng. Gor Mahia won in 1980, 81, and 85. Kenya Breweries won the tournament in 1987. That stellar Breweries team included the likes of Paul Onyiera, Douglas Mutua, Aggrey Evayo, and Charles Opondo.

1985 saw the formation of Kenya's first ever professional football team. Volcano United was the name given to the team. Led by national team players like Henry Motego , Hassan Juma , Davis Oyiela , Pitalis Owuor and Norbert Anyira, it went on to rank as one Kenya's premier football teams within a short period. In 1986 , they eliminated AFC Leopards from the inaugural Moi Golden cup by winning 2-0. Only two years later, the club was disbanded.

The talented Davis Oyiela pictured above was one of the key protagonists for Volcano United and went on to shine for the National team during the 4th All African games

1987 was Kenya's most successful year. Kenya Breweries started the year by winning the East and central Africa club cup At the 4^th All Africa games, Kenya beat continental giants Tunisia 2-1, drew 3-3 with a Cameroun team that featured the likes of Jacque Songoo, Emannuel Kunde, Benjamin Massing, Charles Ntamark and Andre Kana Biyik, beat Madagascar 2-1 and then beat Malawi in a tense penalty shootout which had more misses than scores. Out of the 7 penalties taken by the Kenyans, they only scored 3. Malawi only scored 2 out of 7. David Ochieng in the Kenyan goal gave a clinic in penalty saving, blocking four Malawian attempts. In the final, Kenya lost 1-0 to Egypt in a heartbreaking final.

On the continental scene, Gor Mahia were crowned the winners of the Africa Cup Winners cup, becoming the first team from East and Central Africa to achieve such a feat. That year Gor Mahia had a formidable unit, which provided no less than 10 players to the national team including David Ochieng, Austin Oduor, Abass Magongo, Charles Otieno, George Nyangi, Onyango Fundi , Peter Dawo and Sammy Onyango.

1987 will also be remembered as the year when two Kenyan players, Peter Dawo and Ambrose Ayoyi were voted among the ten best players on the continent, a feat which has never been replicated by the nation.

In 1988, both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards participated in the Africa cup winners cup. AFC Leopards had dispatched FC Kalamu of Zaire 4-1 in grand style. Gor Mahia dispatched BTM of Madagascar winning both home and away legs. As they both made the quarter final, an all Kenya final seemed possible. But it seemed that the continental association had plotted against the Kenyan teams. (The thought of an All Kenyan final was unnacceptable to them). Gor mahia visited Inter Club of Congo and were denied training facilities for 3 days before the match. AFC Leopards seemed destined to eliminate Diamant of Cameroun before losing to a quetionable penalty and having defender Wycliff Anyangu sent off under dubious circumstances.

After a 16 year layoff Kenya had qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations. On paper Kenya seemed to have a formidable team that could compete with the best of Africa. They seemed set to reproduce the magic they had produced at the 4th All Africa games a year earlier. They embarked on a tour of Brazil as part of their preparations. It was there that the team came apart. There was intense animosity between members of Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, resulting in a fight in which George Onyango "Fundi" was supposedly stabbed and had to be hospitalized for 2 weeks. The lack of cohesion showed as Kenya were bundled out of the preliminaries losing 3-0 to Nigeria and Egypt before forcing a draw with Cameroun.