Police in Kisumu have assured of tight security during Saturday’s Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title decider between Gor Mahia and Ushuru at the Moi Stadium.
With the match set to serve as Gor’s moment of coronation, the 20,000-seater facility is expected to be full to the brim and Kisumu East police boss Musa Kongoli has promised all round security during the crucial match.
K’Ogalo fans though have promised to maintain peace to protect the image of their team.
“We shall go and cheer our team and we are ready for any result that will come out on the fateful day. Whether we win or lose we shall still support our team,” said John Odhiambo, a Gor fan.
It’s a must-win match for Gor who lead the table on 57 points given second-placed Sofapaka who play Tusker on the same day, can snatch the title from them if they falter.
While the Moi stadium has hosted a number of KPL matches recently including K’Ogalo’s 3-1 victory over Muhoroni Youth last week, the significance of Saturday’s tie makes it high profile.
Kisumu’s residents have to go back 30 years to remember the last time they hosted a match of such magnitude, the East and Central African Club (now Cecafa) championship match between Gor and Bata Bullets of Malawi where K’Ogalo forced a 1-0 win.
The stadium also played host to the preliminary round match of the African Cup Winners tie between Gor and Nsambiaa of Uganda 1979 which ended in a draw.
K’Ogalo assistant coach Jonh ‘Bobby, Ogolla, James Oronge and his son Goro Oronge, Eric Omonge, Arthur Okoth, Dr David Olima, Gedeon Hamisi, Hamisi Shamba and Charles Otieno are some of the legends who have played there