James Magayi
Days after losing star midfielder Francis Kahata and selling their lead striker Jacques Tuyisenge to Angolan club Petro Atletico, Kenyan champions Gor Mahia have axed five players to make way for new signings ahead of the 2019/20 season.
Top on the list of axed players is Ugandan winger Erisa Ssekisambu who arrived at the start of last season from Vipers.
Ssekisambu failed to live up to expectations and has been cut off, eight months since joining K’Ogalo.
Also on the chopping board is former Tusker midfielder Cercidy Okeyo and hard-tackling central defender Pascal Ogweno, who was lured from Kariobangi Sharks.
Ogweno hardly commanded play time as he flopped early in the season and never regained the trust of the Gor technical bench.
Gor have recruited Elvis Ronack, a centre-back from Nzoia Sugar, to take up Ogweno’s position.
Also released is the team’s third-choice goalkeeper Shaban Odhoji who fell out of favour with the team’s fan base last season when he conceded three goals from range in a 3-3 draw against KCB.
Little-known midfielder Castro Ogendo has also been dropped, having not kicked a ball the entire 2018/19 season.
All the departures have been on mutual agreements with Gor Mahia compensating players who had long-term contracts. K’Ogalo are still in the hunt for a prolific striker to fill the void left by Tuyisenge.
The Rwandan goal machine was reportedly transferred to Petro Atletico for a Sh15 million transfer fee.
Kahata, who parted ways with the club, went on a Bossman Rule to Simba SC of Tanzania after his four-year stay ended.
K’Ogalo are still determined to release one foreign player to make way for Tuyisenge’s successor.
