Have you ever wondered who the brothers of Denis Oliech are? The Children of Mama Oliech REVEALED!

MAMA Oliech at her fish kiosk in Nairobi. Photo by WILLIS AWANDU/STANDARD

Mama is dead! Those stinging words tore his inside apart, leaving behind a desolate shell. His world crushed right in front of him. It was like being hit by a cargo train and still living to tell the story. 

The news broke a few minutes past 4pm. The ‘mother of footballers’ was no more. It hurt him that he had no time to say goodbye to the woman who for years had been their father and mother.

The cold hand of death had snatched his dearly beloved mum so ruthlessly. That is how Denis Oliech, the man who did not hold back a dime as he sought to give his mother the best medicare money could buy, received the news of his mother’s death on Friday 20.

MAMA OLIECH WITH CHURCH MEMBERS AT HER LAVINGTON HOME

Her medication cost the former Kenyan international millions of shillings. This was later followed by unsubstantiated stories that ‘Deno’ was broke to the bone. How sad.

“Our mother was our pillar. He worked hard to ensure that not only did we go to school, but that we took our football careers seriously. She motivated me to work hard because I wanted to repay her for all that she had done for us,” Denis Oliech told The Nairobian.

THE LAVINGTON HOME OLIECH BOUGHT HIS MUM

Mama Oliech, through her sons, left an indelible mark in our beautiful game of football. She gave us Denis ‘The Menace’, Kenya’s all-time top scorer.

Through sweat and a desire to live after her husband Boaz Oliech Opiyo died in 2000, she raised her children to become leading footballers in Kenya and the world. Her fish business gave the breath of life to all her children; and shaped their football talent.

Mama Oliech, may her soul rest in peace, was a constant fixture on the field whenever Denis was playing. She always took her seat at the VIP section, but never sat down for the whole duration of a match. In early 2004, Mama Oliech convinced her son Dennis not to take up Qatari citizenship after he was offered Sh230 million for his passport. She stood for Kenya through and through.

 

Footballers in the family

1. Steve Okumu Oliech

He was the eldest child in the family. Steve played for Harambee Stars, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards as a striker. He moved to the United States of America after landing a footballing scholarship.

Okumu Steven

He was a beneficiary of coach Bob Oyugi airlift. Unfortunately, he died in a grisly road accident in 2002 in Rhode Island. He was only 26 years old. He died just one year after the family’s patriarch died in 2000.

2. Nixon Onywanda

He has been the family spokesperson in most functions. He went on to become Denis Oliech’s manager.

3. Andrew ‘Apache’ Oyombe

Oyombe was in the national team Harambee Stars that last featured in the Africa Cup of Nations finals held in Tunisia in 2004.

Andrew Oyombe at the Moi International Sports Centre

Locally, he also played for Gor Mahia and Tusker before turning professional in Sweden. He has since retired.

 4. Kevin Oliech

He was born on December 24, 1986. Locally, he played for Tusker FC, Gor Mahia and Nakumatt FC. Internationally, he played for German fifth tier side KFC Uerdingen 05 and second-tier Alemannia Aachen, among other teams.

KEVIN OLIECH Player Kevin Oliech. PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

He has since hanged his boots.

Mama Oliech Restaurant assistant Manager Kevin Oliech brother to famous footballer Dennis Oliech explains how he served News- Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ugali and fish at mama Oliech restaurant yesterday, on 01/09/2016.PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

5. Kennedy Oliech

Kennedy was former Gor Mahia captain and striker. He has since retired from football. Ken vied for the chairmanship of Football Kenya Federation in 2016 but lost.

Ken Oliech told The Nairobian that on two separate occasions, he has been a victim of robbery with violence. Ken is a brother to former Harambee Stars Captain Dennis Oliech

Today, he runs the Ken Oliech Foundation, which seeks to tap into the vast football talent. He is currently in Germany where he is training as a coach.

 

6. Dennis Oliech

Oliech started playing football for Dagoreti Santos in his earlier years, then moved to Mathare United. He had his national debut in 2002 during the Cecafa tournament. He used to come in as a substitute. He turned professional in 2003, playing for Al-Arabi in Qatar.

Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech

In 2004, he was offered a chance to change his citizenship from Kenyan to Qatari. But he turned down the offer. At the age of 19 years, Oliech was named by a British newspaper as one of the world’s most wanted young players.