GOR: Wait has been long and painful

BY MUTWIRI MUTUOTA

Gor Mahia fans celebrating

The last time Gor Mahia celebrated a Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title, iconic rappers, Tupac Shakur and Christopher ‘Notorious BIG’ Wallace, were still alive and deeply involved in the West Coast/East Coast hip hop battle that churned everlasting rhymes.

Majority of the latter day Green Army soldiers were either in secondary school buying a

loaf of bread for Sh10 or quarters at Sh2.50!

This was the year that the Internet entered public consciousness, was completely privatised and the United States Government no longer funded it with public money as Microsoft released the groundbreaking Windows 95 Operating System!

For those with a penchant for world affairs, Nigeria was expelled from the Commonwealth due to the execution of writer and human rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa despite worldwide pleas for clemency under the despot Sani Abacha.

It was also the first year the world first knew about the Ebola virus that killed 244 in Kikwit, Zaire (now DRC) in Central Africa and former Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a radical right-wing Jewish youngster.

The term Giniwesakao (this thing is ours) is not an expression anymore, it’s the reality, aptly midwifed by revered Ugandan import, Dan Sserunkuma, who with his blessed right boot, with only a minute to go, entered the pantheon of K’Ogalo greatness by firing Gor past the spirited challenge led by Sofapaka into title dreamland on Wednesday.

Bring out the open top bus, uncork the champagne and open the Guinness Stout bottles, sobriety is not an option Omera; it’s time to party like it’s 1995!

Of all 12 previous titles K’Ogalo has celebrated, this came after a generation and it was so close to the gut wrenching, tear jerking and soul-crushing miss of 2012 on the very final day!

Giniwesakao was written in the stars, it was destiny, it was ordained by the gods, it is the return of Mighty Gor Mahia, the one that fears no one, does not bow to anyone, Gor biro yawne yo (Gor is coming clear the way!).

And just like the old days when winning the league was a foregone conclusion, mashemeji (in-laws) AFC Leopards, who to their credit have rediscovered the groove of the past, did not get the consolation of beating Gor, which Green Army lieutenant does not remember the comeback from 2-0 down at Kasarani?

It’s time to chest thump, get the swag (siwaga) on and make all turn green with envy for suffering Gor Mahia fans, who saw their club almost get relegated twice in the mid 2000s and wept as a cocktail of soldiers (Ulinzi), cane cutters (Sony Sugar, Mumias Sugar), tourists (Utalii), florists (Oserian), brewers (Tusker), slum boys (Mathare United) and even ‘Children of God’ (Sofapaka) take their rightful place at the top of the Kenyan pile.

The only way to end this almighty release is to allow Green Army lieutenant, Edwin Otieno, who was being ‘interviewed’ by CNN on the club’s Face Book wall (that is how big Gor is, but do they say!) after the Sofapaka game to explain the uninhibited delirium.

“Giniwasekao also means the metallic representation of dominance in the local league is under siege via our Green troops. Or if you like, you can say we have arrested and detained the KPL trophy. Bondo University describes Giniwasekao as the custodians of the KPL agenda.

“Sserunkuma, he is the one who instructed the round object to interact with the opponents net!!”

Now, let’s all rise for the Sirkal (government)’s anthem!

“K’Ogalo! Goooor, Gor Mahia/K’Ogalo, Goooor, timbe duto ywakni, K’Ogalo, Goooor, timbe duto ywakni. Gor Mahia nyiri duto ywakni, Goooor timbe duto ywakni…”