{UAH} Mandela and Kenya's Gor Mahia Football Club: what a connection

By Tony Anelka

The whole world is mourning Mandela's death and his time as a hero will be remembered for many generations to come.

Within sports circles in Kenya, his name brings back the memories of 1987 when Gor Mahia clinched the first continental trophy named ' Mandela Cup' at Kasarani by a single header from Peter Dawo.

 

Mandela's connection to Gor Mahia is 'unbelieveble'- Madiba died on the same date and month Gor Mahia lifted the Mandela Cup in 1987 - 5th Dec.

 

From 1987, the name ' Mandela' stayed for years and for his stand and struggle for South Africans to gain independence from the white minority rule, Gor Mahia FC rewarded him with a perfect gift- a league trophy (KPL) in 1995 -exactly one year after South Africa gained its independence in 1994.

 

Mandela made a name for what he stood for, he lived, and he was praised as the black hero aged but could not die before sharing another happy moment with Gor Mahia even after the media 'killed' him many times and camped outside his hospital for days and days- why? It seems Mandela had Gor Mahia at heart and through pain and stress with Gor Mahia fans to break the jinx of 18 years hiatus (1995 the last time Gor clinched the KPL trophy), he waited waited for a special year to part ways with Gor and not just special year (2013) when Gor clinched the KPL trophy again, but a special day and month (5th December) the exact day and month when the two were connected through ' Mandela Cup' on 5th Dec 1987 – What a coincidence