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HISTORY OF

GOR MAHIA

Gor Mahia Football Club, commonly
also known as K’Ogalo, is a football
club based in Nairobi, Kenya. They
have won the Kenyan Premier League

a record 15 times.

How can we start a conversation on Kenyan football without
mentioning Gor Mahia or AFC Leopards? These are the most
successful clubs in the country with a rich history as well. Let’s
start with Gor Mahia.
The club which is also known as K’Ogalo has won the Kenyan
Premier League title the most number of times (15 times)
and boasts a number of other titles in the country and in the
continent.

In fact, they are the only team from Kenya and the CECAFA
region to win an African continental title to date, having won the
African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1987 after previously reaching the
final in 1979.

FORMATION
Gor Mahia Football Club was formally established on 17
February 1968 after the merging of Luo Union and Luo Sports
Club. The club was named after a legendary medicineman
from Kanyamwa, Ndhiwa, Homa Bay in Luo mythology, whose
nickname was Gor Mahia (“mahia” is Luo for “magic”) because
he was famous for performing magic. The club’s most famous
nickname, K’Ogalo, also stems from the medicineman, whose
full name was Gor Wuod Ogada nyakwar Ogalo (Gor son of
Ogada grandson of Ogalo), and as such was known as Gor
Makogalo, or Gor K’Ogalo in short, which means “Gor of Ogalo’s
homestead”.

Several prominent Luos from all walks of life met in Nairobi to
christen the club. The name Gor Mahia was settled upon from
a shortlist of other Luo cultural heroes and warriors such as:
Nyathi Kwach; Lwanda Magere from Kano; Okore wuod Ogonda
Mumbo from Kisumu; Oguttu wuod Kipapi from Ugenya; Kech
Kamajwala from Asembo and Tao K’Ogot also from Ugenya.
1970s
In 1976, Gor Mahia became the first Kenyan football club to
win the National League unbeaten thanks to the exploits of
playmaker Allan Thigo who also acted as coach. He was ably
assisted by stars such as Festus Nyakota, James Ogolla and
new recruits Jerry Imbo who had been recruited from Black
Mamba and legendary goalpoacher Maurice Ochieng who
had been recruited from Kenya Police.[6] Goalkeeper George
Ayuka was in sensational form throughout the season. Maurice

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