Sleeping Giant: Tales of Kisumu's rich hockey heritage

Solo: “Min Omollo dhako yach”

Chorus: “gimoting’o wan wakiiya”

Solo: “Kata oting’o mana jatugo”

Chorus: “gimoting’o wan wakiiya”

Loosely translated, "Omollo’s mum is pregnant, but we have no idea if she will deliver a sportsman."

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This chorus, led by the booming voices of the infamous Kisumu clown Caleb Ngaar and rugby icon Nasser Midamba, echoed through Kibuye Market every time hockey action hit Kisumu Boys High School (KB). The town came alive, from omena and mitumba vendors to matatu touts — all drawn to the theatre of schoolboy hockey at its very best.

The touts, well known for their tune “Eldoret kwa maziwa bado moja” or “Kitale mwisho wa reli, gari ya mwisho” as they ushered passengers into the tiny “you look familiar” matatus, would all go silent and peep over the KB wall fence to catch a glimpse of the ongoing action in the pitch.

In Kisumu, being a hockey player in the 80s and 90s was not just about sports; it meant status, admiration, and influence.

Once the undisputed kings of hockey right from school hockey to club level hockey and home to a vibrant grassroots system that nurtured Olympians and continental champions, Kisumu’s hockey scene has seen it all, from glory and heartbreak to decline and revival. Narrated by former Kenyan international Dennis Owoka and others who lived it, this is the story of Kisumu's rich hockey heritage.

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Pomp, Power, and a Painful Defeat — 1990 Final

Kisumu’s hockey legacy is deeply rooted in the 70s and 80s when KB dominated national school hockey. After surrendering their grip on the title in 1985, which they won three times from 1982 to 1984, St. Patrick's Iten won it in 1985, then Cardinal Otunga Mosocho won it twice in a row in 1986 and 1987 St. Patrick’s Iten won it back in 1988, then KB reclaimed it in 1989. But 1990 would write a painful chapter.

In a charged final played at home, Kisumu Boys faced Iten, a team ironically filled with their very own sons. Cliff Odendo, Roy Odendo, Jack Mix, Kapere, Afeko, and Caleb Olebo led the Iten squad. KB's roster was star-studded: Clement Omanyo, Meshack Senge, Brian Aduda, Shamir Bux, and Sharkey Wizzard among others.

Ray Ochola put KB ahead, but Odendo equalized. Then, in the dying minutes, Afeko — hailed as Kisumu's most handsome player then - broke the deadlock to hand Iten a stunning 2–1 win.

After the presentations, right on top of the imposing pavilion, Obare Awora the KB headmaster gave a moving speech.

“Today is a day we must never forget, our sons, our very own sons, have taken our birthright. This is just but a battle lost. We will win this championship next year and for many years to come,” said Awora.

As darkness fell on KB, the stars twinkled more vividly that night.

The singing and shouting would go on deep into the night as Kisumu silently mourned. The sound of metal hitting metal, the drums and whistling would go on and on. The youth ran along the streets, some shirtless, others barefoot, chanting and wailing.

In the middle of the night, a group of students broke into the store and took all the remaining hockey sticks and gear. They lit a huge bonfire near the pitch and threw everything in. “No more hockey!” they cried. “If we can’t win in our home, then let it die.”

But hockey never died in Kisumu, KB went ahead to win the national title five years in a row form 1991 to 1995, Kisumu Day snatched it from them in 1996 but KB reclaimed it in 1997 making it a record 10 national titles which was later broken by Friends School Kamusinga, 21 years later in 2018.

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The Golden Generation and Legends That Shaped Kenyan Hockey

The man behind Kisumu’s legendary hockey dominance was Aridaman Singh Thind, the deputy headmaster and coach at KB during the 70s and 80s.

Under his leadership, Kisumu produced stars like the late Olympian Parminder “Kake” Saini, Satpal Sirha, Lucas Alubaha, Mike Omondi, Roy Odhiier, Gilbert Ogolo, Julius Akumu, Peter Akatsa, Charles Oguk, Emmanuel Oduol among other. These names were part of Kenya’s most successful hockey generations, contributing to the country’s sixth-place at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and fourth in the inaugural 1971 Hockey World Cup in Barcelona.

Kisumu Simba Club served as the conveyor belt of this talent, and estates like Kondele, Tom Mboya, Ondiek, and Makasembo became known nurseries of raw hockey skill.

Emmanuel Oduol, a resident of Kondele ghettoes, was one of the players who inspired the generation that started playing hockey from the area, such as Steve Otieno, Carrey Bwana, Tom Tipo, Eric Odingo, who captained the Kenya national team at some point before going to play proffesional hockey in Australia in 1999.

This list also features Tom Bello, Nixon Nyangaga, Tony Oneko, Ben Owaga, Denis Owoka, Eric Afaya, Olebo, Godfrey Nyangaga, Teddy Malala, Pius Owino, and Beff Nyamsoi. It is this generation that trained at the KMTC, Kondele, that would terrorize the priviledged estates of Ondiek, Patel Flats, Tom Mboya and Makasembo.

Thanks to the Inter-Estates Tournament, spearheaded by Kake and Kisumu Simba, even ghetto players got their moment in the spotlight. This fiercely contested competition brought out raw, street-honed talent that would rival seasoned internationals.

But not all dreams lasted. Fire Flickers Hockey Club, born from players who couldn’t adapt to Kake’s rigid discipline, folded in the late '90s due to a lack of sponsorship.

However, the leadership baton passed on to Kamal Sembi, who ensured Kisumu Simba and later Butali Warriors remained top contenders both in Kenya and across Africa.

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Kisumu Queens: The Women Who Carried the Flame

In the late '80s and early '90s, Kisumu Girls High School was a force in school girls' hockey, though national titles remained elusive. Still, it birthed notable national stars like Rose Mbulo the current Kenya U21 women’s coach, Judy Apiyo, Georgina Ochieng, Eunice Dola, Betty Otieno and Belinda Otieno, Josephine Anyango among others.

Victoria Hockey Club (later Ounga Hockey Club) flew the flag for the region in the women's national league. Today, Lakers Hockey Club and Kisumu Queens Hockey Club are the city's hope, bridging school talent into elite women’s hockey.

The Spiral, But a Flicker of Hope

In the early days, primary schools would compete in their league. The estates had their training grounds so, for most kids in Kisumu, hockey was their first sport.

For years, Kisumu’s hockey dream dimmed. Training grounds vanished. Estate pitches were swallowed by development. Schools abandoned competitions. A sport once tied to identity faded into nostalgia.

But efforts were put to reclaim the glory, Obat Masira, through the Manyatta Sports and Arts Festival, and initiatives like Tunza Sport Academy by Rael Otieno are targeting the youth through art and hockey. Grassroots clubs like Bay Club (formed in 2013), Kisumu Youngsters (2015), and the region's two top-tier women’s side Lakers Hockey Club (2017) and Kisumu Queens (2021), are helping Kisumu rise again.

Kisumu’s hockey story is not just about the past. It is a legacy forged in dusty estate pitches, polished in school tournaments, and crowned in national and international arenas.

And now, the embers glow again. From Kondele to Patel Flats, from KB to Kisumu Day, from Lakers to Kisumu Queens, from Kisumu Youngsters to Bay Club — the sleeping giant stirs.

When Kenya hockey rises again, Kisumu will be right at its heart.