Advertisement
‘Not a normal human being’ – Owalo pays glowing tribute to Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars legend Allan Thigo
14th May, 2026 07:34 AM
Gor Mahia patron and presidential hopeful Eliud Owalo, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, led mourners in celebrating the life of veteran Allan Thigo, describing him as one of the greatest footballers Kenya has ever produced.
Speaking during a requiem mass held at Mama Grace Onyango Social Hall in Kisumu, Owalo said Thigo’s football legacy would remain etched in the history of Kenyan football for generations.
The former midfielder, who succumbed to cancer, was cremated later in the day at the Hindu Crematorium.
Owalo termed Thigo ‘an enigma’, saying his achievements for both Gor Mahia F.C. and the Kenya national team were extraordinary.
“Alan Thigo was not a normal human being, looking at the feats he achieved during his heyday as a player,” said Owalo.
He noted that Thigo served both Gor Mahia and the national team for 13 years, a rare accomplishment in Kenyan football.
“From the information we have, he was the greatest midfielder in Kenya at that point in time throughout those years. Thigo scored 88 goals for Gor Mahia, a record surpassed only by the late Sammy Onyango,” Owalo said.
He added that the football legend also earned 86 caps for the national team, the Harambee Stars, achievements he described as no mean feat.
Owalo further hailed Thigo for his contribution as both player and coach at Gor Mahia, recalling the club’s successful campaigns in the 1970s.
He said Thigo played a key role when Gor Mahia won the league title in 1976 and later guided the team to the final of the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1979 as a player-coach.
“That was no mean achievement. We are celebrating the life of a great man, a great footballer and a great Kenyan who should actually be honoured in the Hall of Fame among the greatest Kenyans of our lifetime,” Owalo said.
The Gor Mahia patron also used the occasion to urge former footballers to unite for economic empowerment and welfare support.
He revealed that in 2023, he helped establish the Gor Mahia Legends Welfare Sustainability Fund and injected Ksh1 million as seed capital to support retired players.
“I reached out to them and brought them together so that they could think collectively about what to do,” he said.
Owalo pushes players’ welfare
Owalo noted that collective investments would enable retired players to enjoy economies of scale and improve their bargaining power in business.
He, however, expressed sadness that some members captured in a group photo taken during the launch of the initiative had since passed away, including Thigo and former legends’ chairman Austin “Makamu” Oduor.
“That teaches us one lesson: life is short and none of us is immortal,” he said.
Owalo faulted the country for neglecting sportsmen and women after retirement despite the joy they bring to Kenyans during their active years.
“As a country, we have been very harsh to our sportsmen and women. These are people who give us joy during their heyday, but the day they retire or suffer career-ending injuries, we forget about them,” he lamented.
He pledged that sports would form a major pillar of his agenda should he become president, promising reforms aimed at protecting retired athletes.
Among the proposals he outlined were the establishment of a medical scheme and a pension plan for retired Kenyan sportsmen and women.
“I will establish and institutionalise a pension scheme for retired sportsmen and women so that they are able to look after themselves beyond their playing days,” he said.
Owalo also challenged the younger generation of players to embrace discipline and financial planning while still active in sports.
“Discipline is very important. People like Alan played for 13 years without alcohol, and that is why they played for that long,” he said.
He advised current footballers to invest wisely and plan for life after retirement to avoid hardship once their playing careers end.
