Featured Image: AFC Leopards in 1982
1982 Kenya National Football League
The 1982 season was closely contested between AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia. AFC emerged tops by a single point. AFC’s rock solid defence anchored by goalkeeper Mahmoud Abbas with a solid central defensive pairing of Shadrack Oyando and Josphat Murila. Thanks to the trio, AFC conceded 8 goals less than any other team.
Coach Robert Kiberu was a shrewd tactician, utilizing the sheer physical strength of his strikers Wellington Lidonde and Joe Masiga. As well as the speed of new signing right winger Francis Kadenge. Wellington Lidonde, James Mutashi, Aggrey Lukoye excelled in attack. Haggai Mirikau, Abdul Barasa, Ernest Hassan and Wilberforce Mulamba were brilliant in midfield.
Gor Mahia’s season was marred by various setbacks. First, coach David Otti abruptly left in May leaving the inexperienced Jerry Imbo to take over as player coach. The event that wrecked Gor Mahia’s chances of winning the league came in July. The second leg of the league had just started. Gor Mahia were traveling to Bungoma to take on Nzoia when their bus was involved in a collision. Several players sustained serious injuries. Four were admitted to hospital. Lively winger Enock Obwaka was also sidelined when he was involved in a separate road accident. A third factor that doomed Gor Mahia was player turmoil as documented below. Still Gor Mahia gave a good account of themselves. Bobby Ogolla was solid at the back but also scored several crucial goals. New signing Sammy Onyango provided much needed impetus in attack. He scored the winner in the second leg of the Mashemeji derby to give Gor Mahia a 1-0 win over AFC.
Kenya Breweries gave a good account of themselves, finishing third. Key roles were played by veteran winger Elly Adero alongside Ugandan midfielder Issa (Isabirye) Salim, Dino Kitavi, Meshak Onderi and new signing James Ouma “Jacaranda”.
Military side Scarlet, had an explosive attack which scored an incredible 69 goals, 13 more than the league winners. Jack Sihul was the league top scorer with 18 goals while Ambrose Ayoyi scored 16. Tom Odhiambo was another key marksman for the side.
1982 KNFL Top Scorers
| Player | Team | Goals |
| Jack Sihul | Scarlet, | 18 |
| John Chore | Gor Mahia, | 17 |
| Wilberforce Mulamba | AFC Leopards, | 17 |
| Aggrey Litali | MoW | 17 |
| Ambrose Ayoyi | Scarlet, | 16 |
| Alfred Mukangula | Bata Bullers, | 16 |
Other Notables
The youthful MoW side, fielding several schoolboys from Kakamega High and Musingu continued their brilliance from the previous year. Schoolboys Mike Amwayi, Peter Lichungu and Dan Musuku were outstanding alongside senior players like Aggrey Litali and Joseph Mukatia.
Charles Otieno was a standout performer for Kisumu Hotstars as was Abdallah Shebe for Feisal, Alfred Mukangula of Bata Bullets and George Onyango of Lake Warriors.
1982 CECAFA Club Cup
The 1982 CECAFA club cup was played in Nairobi and Kisumu for the second season running. AFC Leopards were in group A in Nairobi and Gor Mahia were in group B in Kisumu. It was a complete reversal of what happened in 1981. This time it was AFC Leopards who were in fine form. They won all their group games, beating Rio Tinto of Zimbabwe 2-0, Ujamaa of Zanzibar 3-0 and Information Club of Somalia 2-0.
Gor Mahia for their part, barely made it to the semis. They drew 1-1 with Bata Bullets of Malawi, lost 0-1 to KCC of Uganda and beat Young Africans of Tanzania 3-1.
In the semi-finals, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards played to a 0-0 draw which despite being scoreless, was exciting. After 120 minutes, the match went to penalties where Mahmoud Abbas and his penalty saving exploits excelled, propelling AFC Leopards to the final. Here they beat Rio Tinto 1-0 with Wellington Lidonde scoring the winner.
1982 Africa Club Competitions
AFC Leopards played in the Africa Cup of champions. In the first round, they played KCC of Uganda. They lost the first leg 3-0. The match was played at the height of Uganda’s civil war, better known as the Ugandan Bush war. Club Official Abby Simwa said that their training in Kampala was interrupted by constant volleys of gunfire which at one point caused AFC Players to flee. AFC would win the return leg 4-1 and this bowed out on away goals rule.
Gor Mahia played in the Africa Cup winners cup. In the first round, they played Dinamo de Fima of Madagascar. The speedy Madagascans surprised everyone, outrunning and outgunning Gor Mahia to win the opening leg 3-2 in Nairobi. Then the trouble started. Gor Mahia players, unhappy with their training and residential conditions, went on strike. They would eventually refuse to travel to Madagascar for the return leg. CAF fined Gor Mahia heavily. In fact Gor Mahia were lucky to escape without a suspension. Chairman Zack Mbori suspended several players who were considered the ring leaders, notably Andrew Obunga, Charles Ondiek, Mike Ogolla and George Ayuka.
1982 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup
Kenya were the defending champions. However Uganda were the hot favourites as they were the hosts and boasted a strong side that had several players who were in the squad that reached the AFCON final 4 years earlier.
In the semi-finals, Kenya beat newcomers Zimbabwe 2-1. Nahashon Mahila and Joe Masiga scored for Kenya while goalkeeper Mahmoud Abbas saved a penalty from Joel Shambo. Uganda beat Zanzibar 3-0 in the semi-final and romped into the final in a confident mood.
The final between Uganda and Kenya was epic and is one of the most memorable matches in Kenya Football History. Spurred on by the voiceferous crowd, Uganda went on the attack and often camped at the Harambee Stars goal area. But the resilient Kenya defence led by Bobby Ogolla and Mahmoud Abbas held firm. Wilbeforce Mulamba put Kenya in the lead in the 56th minute when he dribbled past three Uganda defenders before rifling the ball into the net. Uganda equalized late in the game with a controversial goal whereby the ball seemingly did not cross the line. After extra time, the game went into penalties. Here Mahmoud Abbas heroics propelled Kenya to a win. Abbas saved two penalties. Kenya scored penalties through Mahila, Ouma “Jacaranda”, Mulamba and Ingutia. Kenya emerged victorious, retaining the trophy they had won in 1981.
