- Gor Mahia star Alpha Onyango has dedicated his National Hero honor to his teammates after being among the five Harambee Stars players recognized as heroes.
- President William Ruto presented the honors during the Mashujaa Day Ceremony held on 20th October at Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui County.
- The recognition celebrated their outstanding performances in the recently concluded Pamoja CHAN 2024 tournament, which took place in August.
Kenya International and Gor Mahias’ sensational midfielder, Alpha Onyango, dedicated his National Hero honor to his teammates after being among the four Harambee Stars players recognized as heroes by President William Ruto during the Mashujaa Day Ceremony.
The event, held on 20th October, in Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui County, saw Onyango join Ryan Ogam, Byrne Omondi, and Abud Omar among 31 distinguished Kenyan sportsmen and women honored for their achievements.
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This recognition was primarily for their outstanding performances in the recently concluded Pamoja CHAN 2024 tournament, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in August.
Onyango was a key figure in Benni McCarthy’s squad, where his brilliant displays helped the nation reach its first-ever CHAN tournament quarterfinal in its debut appearance.
Gor Mahia star Alpha Onyango shares his National Hero accolade with teammates
Reacting to the accolade in an exclusive interview with the SportPesa Blog, Onyango stated that despite being a personal award, he credits his teammates for the achievement.
He dedicated the honor not only to them but also to his parents.
It was a great honor,” Onyango said. “Not many players get the chance to be recognized at the national level. Personally, I don’t see this as just a personal achievement – it’s also the result of my teammates’ efforts.
I’m grateful to everyone who supported me through last season. This is my accomplishment, but I want to dedicate it to my parents and, most importantly, to my teammates because they played a huge role in it.”
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The former Green Commandos player summed up the feeling concisely: “I received the news while in the training camp. I shared it with my team manager, and it was a fantastic feeling, since not many players are recognized as national heroes.”
The 24-year-old Onyango has been a consistent presence in the national team since the appointment of South African tactician Benni McCarthy.
He has consistently risen to the occasion whenever called upon to represent the nation, steadily earning the coach’s trust.
At the club level, Onyango believes that despite Gor Mahia’s slow start to the SportPesa League 25/26, back-to-back victories have reignited hope within the K’Ogalo squad as they push to reclaim the title.
“We are working hard to deliver improved performances in our upcoming matches. We began on the wrong foot, but we aim to build momentum from the two matches we have won and, hopefully, maintain the same winning spirit.”