Cabinet Secretary of Information and Communication Eliud Owalo has contributed Ksh1 million to the Gor Mahia Legends Welfare Group Sustainability Fund in a bid to help the retired soccer stars.

The CS has been at the forefront of championing the better lives of retired players who donned Green Army colours during their glory days in the past.

Gor Mahia legends fund

Owalo said the fund is set up to help the K’Ogalo legends establish income-generating projects.

“I have had a working session with Gor Mahia Legends Welfare Group, led by their chairman and 1987 award-winning captain, Austin ‘Makamu’ Oduor.

“I initiated the Gor Mahia Legends Welfare Sustainability Fund and donated seed capital of Ksh1 million towards the fund. This effort seeks to help the group undertake income-generating projects.

“The legends were our pride and joy in their heyday. They should not be forgotten or neglected in retirement,” Owalo said in a statement.

John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla, Nahashon ‘Lule’ Oluoch ‘Lule’, David ‘Kamoga’ Ochieng, Tobias ‘Jua Kali’ Ocholla, Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno, Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omolo, Micke Otieno, Nick Okoth Akura, Maurice ‘Ole Tunda’ Ouma, Josiah ‘Biggy’ Ougo, Swaleh ‘Oswayo’ Ochieng, Victor Onyango, Julius ‘Awilo’ Owino, Tobias Mahira, Mike Kisagi, Peter Gor, and Peter Mwololo are the former Gor Mahia players who were present when Owalo unveiled the fund.

Owalo’s commitments

Last season, Owalo was hugely involved in initiatives that motivated Gor Mahia in their Football Kenya Federation Premier League title-winning campaign.

During the Mashemeji Derby’s second-round game last season, Owalo met both AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia in a bid to create hype around the country’s famous football showdown.

After winning the league title last term, Owalo handed Ksh3 million to Gor Mahia, and this was a huge financial incentive for the team that went home without prize money, given that there was no cash prize for the winners from the league organizers.

This season, Gor Mahia are set for yet another grueling campaign as they hope to defend the title against ambitious rivals, including Tusker and Kenya Police.

Police are seen as potential challengers given the kind of players they have signed and the fact that they ended up as a third-placed side last season.