Giniwasekao! Remember that famous catchphrase from when? 10 years ago? You certainly will if you are a Gor Mahia fan.
The phrase was coined at the height of the club’s monumental revival from a dark period that lasted almost two decades.
Indeed, the year 2013 was a watershed season for Gor Mahia who, upto that point, had endured endless heartbreaks in their quest for that elusive league title.
Mercifully, for the Green Army, the club, under the stewardship of Scottish coach Bobby Williamson, had finally turned the corner.
Gor Mahia had been imperious throughout that season and with every match it became a matter when, and not if, they would be crowned champions.
Still, the club’s then long suffering fans could barely wait for the crowning moment. It had been 18 long trophyless years and, although assured, the fans were understandably restless.
That’s how giniwasekao – we have taken this thing in Dholuo – came into being. So viral was the catchphrase that at one time it even found its way into Wikipedia.
Ten years on, giniwasekao sounds archaic, given that since that breakthrough season, Gor Mahia have made a habit of winning the KPL title.
In the last 10 seasons K’Ogalo have plundered seven league titles (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020). Tusker, who in between have won three titles of their own (2016, 2021 and 2022), is the only club that offered any meaningful resistance to Gor Mahia’s dominance in the last decade.
At this point I need to place a disclaimer. While some may argue that my name clearly betrays my bias in this narrative, I’ll put the records straight by stating that I’m not necessarily a Gor Mahia fan. I’m merely stating facts.
Now, I was reminded of giniwasekao some three weekends ago by the euphoric reactions of the Kenyan chapter of Arsenal fans in the wake of their team’s 3-2 win over Manchester United in a titillating EPL fixture that reignited the old rival of two teams, which like the Gor Mahia of the early 2000s, have fallen on hard times.
That dramatic win at the Emirates Stadium, saw the Gunners retaining control of the title race with a five-point cushion over defending champions Manchester City.
Now, while Manchester United are on a league title drought stretching back 10 years, Arsenal have not been champions since the 2003-2004 season. Which explains the seismic reactions to the outcome of that one match well beyond the Emirates Stadium.
Here in Nairobi, it almost seemed like a giniwasekao moment for Arsenal fans.
In many bars in town, more pints of beer were chugged to celebrate that memorable win. I was reliably informed that even at my work place, snacks were charitably passed around the office by diehard Arsenal fans, a bit prematurely, in my thinking.
But I perfectly understood the scenario. Why? Nineteen 19 years is such a long time to hold your breath. Arsenal desperately needs to exhale, as was the case with Gor Mahia some 10 years ago. And with that memorable win over the old enemy, their long suffering fans took a few quick gasps of fresh air.
Personally, I took no offence with the exuberant reactions of Arsenal fans in Kenya three Sundays ago. In my youthful days, I would have done the same if my beloved Real Madrid had pulled off such an important win against Barcelona.
