I salute ‘the Green Army’ for showing up when needed

On Wednesday last week I got the rare chance to have a chat with SportPesa CEO Captain Ronald Karauri.

See, unlike our colleagues who are in the day today reporting on the spots desk, columnists like yours truly rarely venture out on assignments, opting to follow news like the rest of the population then follow it up with their own opinions.

Because of that reason, columnists are rarely in sports events, save for matches like football (proudly, I attended nearly all Gor Mahia matches played in Nairobi in the just ended season.

So it came to pass that I was in the process of writing an end of the league wrap up and wanted to talk to as many people as possible.

As the people who came through for us when we were in doldrums, SportPesa especially the CEO were going to occupy a place of pride in my season-ender.

I then started working the phone. I called Lola Okulo whom I knew to be in the PR department at SportPesa. Only for Lola to tell me that she had left the firm.

She went beyond her call of duty and introduced me to her successor Mercy Kabui. No sooner had I saved Mercy’s number than the gracious lady called me.

“Tom, Lola has told me about your request. Sorry for the short notice but we are at Stanley hotel right now hosting Gor Mahia to a breakfast and if you can make it here you will get the CEO and any other person you would want to interview,” she said.

I was at the hotel within the next one hour and that is how I got to meet with Karauri.

In our chat, I thanked the good man for the support to KÓgalo and I also asked him about his father.

See folks, many years ago Mathew Adams Karauri, an Assistant Minister for Education, MP for Tigania East, an author of no mean repute and a dependable player for Bunge FC was picked to head a Kenya Football Federation Caretaker Committee, a job he executed quite commendably.

An apple never falls far from the tree, so they say, and his son Ronald is now neck-deep into sports albeit from the sponsorship side. My challenge to the SportPesa honcho is that he and his accountants better be checking the way the funds they wire to our beloved Gor Mahia are used.

I am not casting aspersions on anyone and neither am I implying that there could be some Chinese accounting taking place, but double checking, especially in matters financial, has never harmed anyone.

Now to the club officials and my appeal is that as we get ready for the continental campaign, let us focus on strategic recruitment of quality players. Men with grit and hunger for laurels. In the words of an ardent fan Anima Odhiambo, “Continental campaign we need to do serious recruitment.

We played a season without depth because of the clubs Fifa ban. Now that our books are in order, we need to recruit. While at it, let us be honest. Gor Mahia isn't complete without a quality Ugandan in the squad, so let’s address this issue too.”

Finally, my heartfelt congratulations to members of the “Green Army” who showed up when they were needed.

I was impressed by the turnout in our final game against City Stars and I hope this momentum will be sustained moving forward.

mboy[email protected]