Kenya’s sporting dynasties talent keep fans entertained

McDonald Mariga celebrates with his teammate Dennis Oliech after scoring against Angola Black antelopes during their 2012 Africa Nations Cup qualifying match at the Nyayo National stadium. [Photo/Stafford Ondego]

A sporting family is often a rare thing occurence.

Yet when they hit the big league they keep their fans on edge moreso whenever they throw up sibling rivalry.

It is quite captivating the more if the parents are involved. Fans always trace their prowess to their fore runners with some ascribing the sporting lineage to inherited genes. Interestingly, their offsprings amazingly tend to outdo their ancestors.

Just like Nevilles (Gary and Phil), Toures (Kolo and Yaya), Williams (Serena and Venus), there are countless examples of sporting families in Kenya ranging from football, volleyball and athletics, to rugby, hockey and basketball.

There have been great acts of brother-brother, sister-sister, brother-sister and even cousin-cousin combinations in Kenyan sporting history.

From the Wanyamas (football) and Makutos (volleyball) to Imonyis (rugby), Tikolos (cricket) to the Dunfords (swimming), we look at some of the famous, emerging and accomplished multi-generational sporting families in the country.

The Wanyamas

Harambee Stars captain and Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Victor Wanyama and his elder brother former Inter Milan midfielder Mc Donald Mariga headline the list of stars coming from a family with a strong sporting history.

Their father Noah Wanyama is a former Harambee Stars midfielder and AFC Leopards player, while their two brothers Thomas Wanyama and Sylvester Wanyama (half-brother) previously plied their trade with Sofapaka and Sony Sugar respectively in the Kenyan Premier League.

Their mother, Mildred Wanyama was a netballer during her youth days, while their sister Mercy Wanyama is a national basketball team player. Mercy became the first ever Kenyan to sign a professional contract in the Spanish basketball league when she joined Adba Aviles in March last year.

Mariga and Victor horned their skills at Kamukunji Boys High School.

Mariga became the first player from the region to lift the coveted Uefa Champions League trophy in 2010. On the other hand, Victor is the first Kenyan to play in the English Premier League.

Noah wanyama (evading a tackle) during a past Kenya premier league match. [Courtesy]

The Oliechs

Retired Harambee Stars skipper Dennis Oguta Oliech remains arguably the best goal poacher Kenya has ever produced in recent years.

Oliech, who hanged up his boots in January 2020 after a short stint at Kenyan giants Gor Mahia, followed the footsteps of his deceased elder brother Steve Okumu Oliech.

Okumu was a deadly striker, who played for Gor Mahia and the defunct Mumias Sugar in the late 90’s before he died in a road accident in 2002.

Dennis spent most of his playing career in France, featuring for French Ligue 1 side AC Ajaccio, Nantes and AJ Auxerre where he played in the Uefa Champions League.

Prior to moving to Nantes in 2005, Oliech turned out for Qatar’s Al-Arabi.

Oliech’s elder brother and agent, Nixon Onywanda, is a former coach of the lower tier side Dagoretti Santos (which Oliech once played for).

Two of his other brothers, Andrew Oyombe and Ken Oliech once played for Gor Mahia, while Kevin Oliech plied his trade with Mathare, Oliech’s former club.

He made his senior national team debut in 2002 and went on to score 34 goals for Stars before retiring last month.

The Kundus

The Kundus are one of the most unique sporting families around.

While volleyballer Agrippina Kundu (libero) has rose through the ranks to establish herself both at her club Kenya Pipeline and national women team, Malkia Strikers, her younger sister Annedy Kundu has been a revelation for national women football team Harambee Starlets.

Just after watching Annedy inspire Starlets to their first ever Cecafa Championship title in Tanzania last year, Agrippina kept their family name in the headlines after helping Malkia win a ticket to represent Africa at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Annedy’s exploits saw her earn a move from Eldoret Falcons to Cypriot top-tier club Lakatamia FC.

The Origis

Without a doubt, football runs deep through in the talented Origis’ family blood. The family has had six players through two generations who have excelled both locally and internationally for many years.

From former Harambee Stars striker Mike Okoth to his Belgium-born son, Liverpool striker Divock Origi and nephew Arnold Origi (HIFK Fotboll, Finland), the Origis continue to excite fans across the world.

Arnold is the son to legendary Austin Oduor Origi, who is regarded as the patriarch of the Origi family. Odour is fondly remembered for captaining Gor Mahia to the Africa Cup Winners’ Cup triumph in 1987. He also captained Harambee Stars in the late 80s.

At just 24 years, Divock-the latest of the Origi family-has already made a name for himself in Europe as he tries to follow in the footsteps of his father Mike, who flourished in Belgium for over a decade featuring for KV Ostende, Harelbeke and Racing Genk in the Jupiler League.

Other members of the Origi family, who made it to the big show are defenders Anthony and Jared who previously turned out for Kenya Breweries and the defunct Utalii respectively.

The Owinos

Not many people know that the Zesco United defender David Owino has a brother in the Kenyan Premier League. ‘Calabar’, as he’s referred to by his followers, is the elder brother of Bandari defender Bernard Odhiambo.

Although the former Gor Mahia defender continues to make headlines with his impressive displays both at the club (Zambia) and national level, injuries have slowed down Odhiambo’s progress at Bandari.

The Osoks

The Osoks (Teddy and Elvis) is the latest sporting family in the Kenyan football. The look-alike siblings both feature for Kenyan Premier League sides, but in different positions.

Teddy (pictured below left), the older of the two, plies his trade with Wazito as a midfielder, while Elvis is a right back at Posta Rangers.

Teddy, earned his maiden senior national team Harambee Stars call up last year after featuring for both the Kenya U20 and U23 junior teams.

Other siblings in the Kenyan football include Gor Mahia goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch and referee Andrew Juma, Michael Olunga (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan) and Victor Ogada (formerly at Ushuru), Michael Madoya (Tusker) and Vincent Mmata (Zoo-Technical Bench), Hudson Muhako and Wycliffe Changilwa (both retired), James Agembe Omino (Chemelil Sugar), Ronald Omino (Kakamega Homeboyz-sons of veteran coach Henry Omino) and Dennis Odhiambo Omino (KCB-nephew to Henry Omino).

The Makutos (Volleyball)

The healthy competition among the Makutos has for sure taken Kenyan volleyball to another level.

Out of the eight family members involved in the game, it is the trio of Asha (retired), Evelyn (Kenya Prisons) and Violet (KCB), illustrious volleyball careers both at the club and national team level that has made them a household name in Kenyan sports.

Asha (pictured above), the oldest of the three sisters, represented Kenya at the World Cup and World Championships (2003 and 2010), while Evelyn has been a force to reckon with both at club and national teams level.

Violet, who ditched Kenya Pipeline last year for KCB, has replicated her siblings’ performance at all levels. She has become a key player at Malkia Strikers.

Their brothers have also not been left behind. Luke and Elphas ply their trade with General Service Unit and Kenya Prisons respectively, while Douglas plays for Kenya Institute of Management college team. The duo of Phillip and Bernard are students at Kulumben and Samitsi Secondary schools respectively.

Other siblings battling out in the Kenyan volleyball include, Lydia Maiyo (Kenya Prisons), Philip Maiyo (retired), Kelvin Maiyo (Kenya Prisons), Kimutai (Kenya Prisons) and Brian Melly (GSU-all related), Florence Bosire (Kenya Prisons), Charles Bosire (Kenya Prisons) and Elijah Bosire (KPA-siblings), Wesley, Dominic and Moses Rono (all GSU), Sila Kipruto (Kenya Prisons), Rodgers Kipruto (KDF) and Aggrey Kibungei (KDF-siblings).

The Imonyis (Rugby)

Retired Kenya Sevens Rugby captain Humphrey Kayange and his brother Collins Injera left a mark on the rugby scene with their dazzling performances on the World Rugby Sevens Series in the last two decades.

In 2010, the duo was awarded the presidential Order of Golden Warriors for their impressive display in the 2008/09 IRB series that saw them invited to play for Samurai International RFC in the United Kingdom sevens circuit.

Injera, who is currently the second all-time top try scorer, claimed the Player of the final award in 2016 Singapore Sevens, after helping Kenya to win their first tournament in World Sevens Series.

Michael Agevi (pictured), the youngest of the Emonyi brothers, who’s also at Mwamba, has followed in the footsteps of his siblings as he is already made his appearance for the national Sevens team.

Kayange and Injera attended St. Peters Mumias Boys High and Vihiga High respectively, while Agevi was at Kakamega High.

Other siblings in rugby include the Asego’s (Larry, Lavin and Chris) and the Simiyus (Innocent, Victor Sudi and Nato).

The Dunfords (swimming)

The Dunford brothers come from a sporting family (White minority in Kenya) and they have achieved different degrees of fame in swimming.

Their father, Martin, was the vice chairman of the Kenya Swimming Federation and the patron of the Nairobi Amateur Swimming Association (NASA), while their older brother Robert, a graduate from the London School of Economics, is a rugby player.

The Dunfords have reached many international finals and won numerous accolades both at the local, regional and international scene.

In the 2006 Africa Swimming Championships in Senegal, the pair brought home nine medals (four gold, four silver and one bronze).

In 2007, Jason was named Kenya’s Sportsman of the Year after capturing more medals than any other athlete (three gold, two silver and three bronze) at the All-African games.

In 2008, Jason and David became the first Kenyan swimmers to qualify for the Olympics and the former briefly held the Beijing Olympic Record in the 100 fly when he swam 51.14 during the opening rounds. Both of them participated in the 2012 Olympics in London.

Jason is predominantly a butterfly and freestyle sprinter while his younger brother, David, who is an African champion and Commonwealth Games finalist, specializes in sprint freestyle.