Ryan Ogam: Fast-rising forward chasing lofty ambitions in Kenyan football league

After his transfer deal to Algeria fell through on February 1, 2025, red-hot Tusker FC striker, Ryan Ogam, has set his sights on scoring 30 goals in the 2024/2025 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) season.

The 22-year-old has been in scintillating form, and leads the race for this season’s Golden Boot award, having scored 15 goals in the 17 matches he has played for 13-time Kenyan champions Tusker.

Should he score 30 goals in the league, he will score nearly double the number of goals last season’s Golden Boot winner, Benson Omalla of Gor Mahia scored. Omalla netted 19 times last season to help Gor to a record-extending 21^st league title.

On February 1, Ogam, who is in his debut season in the FKF-PL, was on the verge of joining multiple Algerian league champions USM Alger, but the deal did not materialise.

USM Alger, who are regular campaigners in the CAF Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup, wanted to activate Ogam’s release clause of Sh4 million, but sources privy to the matter indicated that  Ogam was convinced to stay on at Tusker until the end of the season.

After his failed transfer to Algeria, the forward, who joined Tusker from National Super League side Rainbow FC,  says he will now focus on fighting for the league title with Tusker.

The brewers face Kenya Police in the top-of-the-table clash on Sunday at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County from 4pm.

“It’s true there was interest (from Algerian club USAM Alger), but for me, my focus has always been on the team, and doing my duty which is to perform well for the team. Anything concerning transfer deal is up to my representatives and my parents. My focus is on football,” d Ogam said on Friday.

“I’m a Tusker FC player, and my focus is on doing better in each game until the end of the season. My target is to score more goals, and I’m working towards getting 25 to 30 goals this season,” Ogam added.

Ogam, who is son of former Gor Mahia defender David Rabuok, has been in hot form this season. He scored a goal in Kenya’s 2-1 win over Tanzania in Mapinduzi Cup, an annual tournament that commemorates Zanzibar’s revolution, on January 7.

His hot form has seen him score a hat-trick of goals against Murang’a Seal in the FKF-PL on December 1, 2024, and a brace in the first half of the season against Nairobi City Stars, KCB and Mara Sugar.

His target of 30 goals is not out of reach, given that Elvis Rupia won the Golden Boot on 27 goals in the 2022/2023 FKF-PL season ahead of Omalla (26).

The forward is an alumnus of both Kakamega High School and Dagoretti High School, two institutions known for nurturing football talent locally. He was declared Tusker FC’s player for the months of November and December.

In September 2023, Ogam had a short stint with Elite Falcons in the third division league in the United Arab Emirates, but returned to the country in January 2024 and joined Rainbow FC in Kenya’s second-tier National Super League.

Tusker play Kenya Police with whom they are tied on 36 points from 19 matches. However, the law enforcers are top of the standings on goal difference.

A win for either team will condemn the other to second place in the league. A draw could allow thir- placed Gor Mahia, who are 31 points, to catch up with them.

The 21-time champions Gor Mahia are on 31 points from 18 matches, and were due to play their first match under new coach Sinisa Mihic, on Saturday against Mathare United at Dandora Stadium in Nairobi.