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The family of former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech aka ‘Dennis The Menace,’ has denied claims that he is broke.
The former Harambee Stars captain has threatened to move to court to sue those spreading rumours aimed at tarnishing his name.
Oliech was responding to claims in a section of the media that he says painted him as a man who was struggling in life after blowing away his millions.
Nixon Onywanda Oliech, Dennis’ elder brother, told The Nairobian that their family has been embarrassed by unfounded reports doing rounds on Facebook and some print media, purporting that their brother is languishing in poverty.
“The stories have traumatised our ailing mother who at her age deserves peace of mind,” said Nixon who is popularly known as ‘Chiggy’.
“Our lawyers have already sent demand letters to the said media houses and very soon, we will be moving to court. The main problem with some journalists is overdependence on handouts. There are some known individuals who have made it a habit of asking Dennis for money every now and then,” claimed Chiggy, adding that, “Dennis is not Father Christmas to be dishing out gifts to everyone.”
Responding to claims that Oliech is frequently seen in Dagoretti and other low-income estates, Chiggy who says his family has been dealing with a lot of issues posed: “Is it a crime if Dennis goes to Dagoretti or Majengo to be with his childhood friends and former footballers?”
Chiggy who also doubles as Dennis’ agent and manager, added that it is time Kenyans left Dennis to enjoy life outside football. He explained that Dennis has played his part in the direct development of Kenyan football as a player and he has now embarked on various projects that seek to spread the game to other parts of the country.
On March 24, Dennis, while unveiling his partnership with Sports Betting firm Betway, announced his retirement from international football. While Dennis still remains Kenya’s national team all-time top scorer, he said the decision to quit Harambee Stars was with a heavy heart.
“At this point, I don’t feel my contribution has been appreciated by stakeholders. It is difficult to play for the national team if you are not appreciated,” Dennis told The Standard.
Oliech recently lost his longtime childhood friend Ricky Ojaang who was allegedly killed by carjackers in Narok.
“I am going through a lot in my life now and do not have the energy to keep fighting and responding to almost every allegation out there. For now, my duty is to help the family of Ojaang raise funds to meet funeral expenses,” said Dennis.
