Dawo’s fame to inspire Kisumu Municipal team

By Phillip Orwa

He is known to be the footballer who scored the highest number of goals – using his head.

Keen observers of the beautiful game say his heading prowess has not been matched almost two decades after he retired from football.

He sits on the Technical Bench of the 11th-placed Kisumu Municipal FC, the Municipal Council of Kisumu team, who sought his services to reward him for lifting Kenya’s image during his heydays.

Meet Peter Dawo, former international and Gor Mahia striker.

Dawo is a legend who needs little introduction in Kenyan football and internationally.

Dawo played for Gor Mahia between 1987 and 1991 and was a prolific striker.

His legacy for heading goals past goalkeepers has never been matched by any other player in Kenya since he left active football.

His supernatural heading gift was influential in helping K’ogalo win the Mandela Cup in 1987, the first and only continental trophy to be won by an East African Club.

Small wonder, Dawo was named the seventh best African player in 1987 ahead of Ghana’s Abedi Pele and Cameroon’s Roger Milla and proceeded to play for Arab Contractors, an Egyptian Division One side.

A year earlier in 1986, K’ogalo had won the Moi Golden Cup after beating Bandari FC 1-0. It is this win that qualified Gor to take part in the 1987 African Cup Winners.

Dawo had just been signed by the team in 1987 and his energy and ability to score endeared him to K’Ogallo’s legion of fans. The fans nicknamed him “Omuga” (Rhino) for his toughness and speed.

The team was comprised of David Ochieng’ (goalkeeper), Tom Gundo, Jaffer Mwidau, Otieno Solo, Anthony Ndolo ‘Suzuki’, Peter Ochieng ‘Pierre’, Ben Oloo ‘Breakdance’ Sammy Onyango ‘Jogoo’, Ahmed Shero, Otieno ‘Bassanga’, Austin Oduor ‘Makamu’, Peter Dawo ‘Omuga’, George Odembo Nyangi, Isaiah Omondi ‘Janabi’, Charles Otieno, Abbas Magongo, Tobias Ocholla, George Onyango ‘Fundi’. Coaches were Dane Jack Johnson and Maurice Ochieng’ ‘Sonyi’.

To qualify for the Winners Cup final against Esperence of Tunisia, K’ogalo won against Somali’s Marine, home and away 3-0 and 2-0 in the first round and second round. The team shared spoils with Sudan’s El Merreikh after coming out 1-1 in the first leg and 0-0 in the second leg in Kisumu’s Moi stadium.

Jubilant fans

After the match, jubilant Kisumu fans stormed the streets in songs and dance in a game that saw Gor advance on goal difference.

Gor then met Togo’s Entente Deux in the quarter-finals where they shattered them 4-1 in the first leg and held the team to a 0-0 draw in the return leg.

In the semis, they came out with a goalless draw against Benin’s Dragons L’Oueme. In the second leg, then Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi along with his cabinet were among the fans who thronged the Nyayo National Stadium to watch the game that Gor Mahia won 3-2. It is Dawo who headed in the last goal two minutes to the whistle.

Born in Kericho in 1964 in Kericho to Hezekiah and Sylvia Dawo, he began playing football in the local league for MTI. It’s from here that he was noticed by Gor Mahia FC and signed by the club in 1987.

“I was able to score 10 goals, nine of them by heading. I delivered the Cup Winners Cup which made my team win over Tunisian club Esperance in the finals,” Dawo said.

“No other East African Club has managed to match those achievement 26 years on,” Dawo added.

Dawo said his head was blessed as many strikers depend on their feet to score, while he used his head to do the scoring.

In 1990, the player was signed by an Egyptian side for a one-year contract with Arab Contractors in the top league.

The following year, he moved to Al Seeb in Oman and then returned home when a lot more of him was expected.

His father was an employee at Brooke Bond Liebig Company. He went to both Highlands and Arya Primary School for the primary school education and then completed his secondary school at St Mary’s in Kitale formerly Greenfields.

“After completing my secondary education, I joined Railways Training Institute (RTI) for my tertiary education,” he said.

He says the rivalry between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards is healthy for Kenyan football.

“That rivalry is what inspires Kenyan football. In 1987, Gor won the League against their rivals AFC Leopards. We beat AFC Leopards in the Moi Golden Cup 2-0 in the final,” he adds.

Active football

Dawo retired from active football in mid-1990s due to what he claimed was lack of cooperation from the officials of the club whom he says never made it easy for him.

“I was frustrated by the officials of the club that made me call it quits, but I cannot fail to mention that Gor also played a major role in my career,” Dawo appreciated.

Kisumu fans have welcome him with open arms to help the Kisumu Municipal FC. The team play in the Division One of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) League.

He calls on Gor Mahia to help their legends who helped shape the club like him and the likes of Ochieng ‘Sonyi’, who currently coaches Kit Mikayi Youth Soccer Association (KIMYSA) among others.