- Gor Mahia’s Frank Odhiambo has urged Kenyan football fans to step up their game and make local stadiums more vibrant.
- His call comes after Moroccan giants’ ultras stole the show on Sunday at Kasarani Stadium.
- Nairobi United hosted Wydad Casablanca and fell 1–0 in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.
Gor Mahia’s new signing Frank Odhiambo has called on Kenyan football fans to elevate their support and make stadiums more vibrant than ever.
Odhiambo’s appeal came on Sunday, February 8, while he was attending the CAF Confederation Cup match where Nairobi United hosted Moroccan giants Wydad AC and despite being the away side, Wydad’s famous “ultras” completely stole the show.
In a match staged at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Wydad clinched a late victory with a goal from former Sevilla striker Wissam Ben Yedder, leaving the hosts still searching for their first points with just one game remaining.
Notably, the three-time CAF Champions League winners electrified the stadium with their supporters – numbering no more than five hundred, who maintained a dazzling atmosphere throughout, outshining the energy of the home crowd.
Seated in one of the lower tiers, the traveling fans were heard singing relentlessly, keeping the spirit alive even as their team struggled to break down the home side’s defense.
In one video shared by SportPesa Kenya editor Stephen Ochieng’, the fans could be heard joyfully chanting a remixed version of Kenya’s famous song “Jambo Jambo Kenya hakuna Matata” (“Hello, there’s no problem here”), cleverly rewriting the lyrics to rally behind their team.
The club’s die-hard fan group, known as the “Winners”, has a long-earned reputation for flamboyance singing, setting off smoke bombs, and making their cellphone torches dance collectively like fireflies.
And that is precisely what captivated the Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, where Nairobi United’s supporters were visibly outnumbered and couldn’t rival the visitors’ fervor.
Gor Mahia’s Frank Odhiambo urges SportPesa League fans to raise the bar
Taking to social media, the Harambee Stars defender emphasized that fans are the heartbeat of the game, urging local supporters to raise their standards in the SportPesa League.
Si leo at least mumeona sauti inatoka kwa ultras, wako kazi. Mafans waamke bana hii mtaa,” Odhiambo wrote on his Instagram story, translating to: “Today, you finally saw where the real energy comes from – the ultras. They’re on another level. Kenyan fans need to wake up and step up their support in this country.”
AFC Leopards & Gor Mahia ultras in the SportPesa League
Odhiambo may have a point, and his timing is notable as Kenyan ultras are increasingly making their mark this season, drawing inspiration from fan cultures in Europe and North Africa.
Kenya’s two biggest rival clubs, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, have already ignited stadium atmospheres with their own groups – Gor Mahia’s Ultras Green 1968 and AFC Leopards’ Ultras 1964.
This tradition has been growing steadily. Whenever these two side are on the pitch, fans display elaborate tifos, banners featuring players and politicians, and vibrant smoke flares blue for Ingwe and green for K’Ogalo.
The displays are accompanied by thunderous drums and cultural chants in every match, with Gor Mahia in particular known for having one of the most iconic anthems in the league.
This movement has inspired other clubs with sizable followings, like Shabana, to develop their own vibrant fan traditions and bring renewed joy to their teams.
If more clubs continue to embrace this culture, the SportPesa League could transform into an even more thrilling spectacle than it already is.
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