AFC Leopards legend urges FKF Premier League clubs to end Gor Mahia's dominance

Gor Mahia Ronney Onyango (left) tussle with AFC Leopards Victor Otieno during the FKF premier league match between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards at Moi International Sports Centre on October 7, 2023 .PHOTO/Imago

AFC Leopards legend urges FKF Premier League clubs to end Gor Mahia's dominance

Festus Chuma 09:52 - 11.05.2024

A former AFC Leopards player urges Kenyan football teams to challenge Gor Mahia's dominance and revitalize league competition.

Signs that the challenge for the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) title could one day become a one-horse race have been there, but these have now been confirmed definitively as Gor Mahia are three matches away from clinching yet another title. 

Former AFC Leopards star Charles Okwemba has voiced a strong message to the Kenyan football community urging top clubs to step up and end Gor Mahia's overwhelming control of the league.

Since 2013, Gor Mahia has captured eight of the 11 league titles, with Tusker FC being the only team to disrupt their dominance by winning in 2016, 2021, and 2022. 

“There are teams like Tusker, Leopards, and Bandari who should be capable of challenging Gor Mahia’s dominance," Okwemba told Citizen TV on Thursday.

The former AFC Leopards captain's words reflect a deep-seated desire to see other clubs rise to the occasion and provide a more formidable challenge to Gor Mahia’s supremacy.

In his critique, Okwemba also pointed out the encouraging yet short-lived performances of teams like City Stars and Posta Rangers, who show promise at the league's outset but fail to maintain momentum. 

"The prospect of a single team consistently winning the league raises concerns about the competitiveness of our football.

“A league lacking rich competition among its teams becomes tedious and fails to meet the standards required to be considered among the best on the continent,” he added.

Reflecting on the history, AFC Leopards were once formidable rivals to Gor Mahia, competing neck and neck from the 1960s through the 1990s. 

However, their declining fortunes in recent years have allowed Gor Mahia to tighten their grip on Kenyan football.

Gor Mahia are currently positioned to secure their 21st league title leading the table with 60 points after 28 matches. 

K'Ogalo holds a nine-point advantage over second-placed Kenya Police FC with just six games remaining.

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