Gor Mahia is deservedly the people’s club of choice

Hear ye all: Gor Mahia is the best club in Kenya. And am not only talking about football clubs here. From athletics through rugby and a zillion other games played in the country, Gor Mahia has been rated the best club in these neck of the woods.

Although this is what I have been saying time and again, last week I was vindicated when results of a new research by Swiss firm International Certification Association GmbH (Icertias) showed K’Ogalo ruling the roost with majority of the people polled saying it is the club of choice. And who — apart apart from our malicious and sorry looking neighbours — can deny us these bragging rights?

The study which featured 1,200 Kenyans aged 15 and above sought to find out from them what products and services they would go for if money were not a factor and quality was the only criterion.

Their answer was emphatic: David Rudisha was voted the best sportsman/sportswoman, while the Mighty Gor Mahia led in the segment of the best Kenyan club, regardless of which sport.

And look at the good company we are keeping. According to the researchers, the other top performing brands are: Brookside (Category: Milk); Nescafé (Instant Coffee); Delmonte (Fruit Juice); Keringet (Mineral Water); Fair and Lovely (Facial Cream); Rolex (Wristwatch); Nike (Sports Footwear); Equity (Bank); Britam (Insurance), and Visa (Credit Card).

The research aimed at drawing the public’s attention to the importance of quality in their daily product and service selection. It also emphasised the need for consumers to demand and expect the highest quality by training the masses on which brands, products and personalities to use as a point of reference.

I believe our pedigree speaks for itself; apart from the countless times we have won the league title, Gor Mahia still holds the record as the only club in East Africa to have won a continental cup, the Africa Cup Winners Cup in 1987.

I have heard some idlers deriding this serious feat by claiming that 1987 is too long ago a year to brag about. Pure ignorance! All great clubs — and national teams for that matter — thrive on their rich heritage.

Across the Atlantic to the European leagues, so beloved of Kenyans, sports writers are known to dig into clubs’ records books sometimes going back to the turn of the century just for the sake of informing their readers.

In that case 1987 is just the other day and we at Gor Mahia shall continue to crow about it until the day our misfiring neighbours at the den will win a similar cup.

Which I do not see happening in this lifetime.