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Harambee Stars, as the Kenyan football national team are popularly referred to, are known to have had some of the finest footballers in East African football history. The Kenyans' crown jewel at the moment, Victor Wanyama, plays in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur.
There have also been some great leaders that have emerged from all that talent that Kenya have produced. Some of the said leaders have, at the time, even been the best players on the team. But, being the best player on the team does not necessarily make you a good leader on the pitch.
Here, we take a look at the top five captains that the Harambee Stars have had over the years.
5. Victor Wanyama
Coming in at number five is the current captain of the Kenyan team, Victor Wanyama. The defensive midfielder is the glue that holds the midfield together and most recently helped the team qualify for the African Cup of Nations 2019. The team had failed to qualify for the tournament for a number of years which made the qualification all the more sweeter.
Though the Harambee Stars didn’t perform well in the tournament, they have a relatively young squad that will only get better. And with Wanyama enforcing the team from the centre of that midfield, the sky is the limit for Kenya.
His drive, strength and ability to bring a sense of security to the team make him valuable and worthy of a place in the top 5 captains of all time.
4. Bobby Ogolla
Known as the 'six million dollar man' during his hey years, Bobby Ogolla was a no-nonsense centre back who gave his all for the team. He was the kind of player that could only be kept out of the team by an injury or a suspension.
He is one of the best, if not the best stopper to ever play for Harambee Stars and the number 4 jersey was always reserved for him. He captained the team towards the end of his career.
3. Musa Otieno
One of the most celebrated Kenyan footballers of our time is Musa Otieno. A giant centre back who had the special talent of reading games and availing himself in the face of danger all the time, Musa was not only the captain when he played for the Stars; he was also the most reliable defender on the team.
Musa spent most of his great years plying his trade in the South African Premier League with various teams. He also earned over 100 caps for his beloved Harambee Stars since making his debut at just 19 years of age.
2. Dennis Oliech
Talk about carrying a nation’s footballing hopes on your back. That’s exactly what Dennis Oliech had to do for the better part of his career. He made his debut for the team when he was just 18 years old in 2002 but that didn’t stop him from carrying the county’s hopes.
He came to the scene when the whole team was a mess and most fans had given up hope on the team. This was a far cry from the team that had been doing well in the 1980s. Their poor showing on the field even earned them the nickname 'Harambee Stress.' Then, in came Oliech, and the football culture was finally reborn.
His ability to not only inspire his teammates but the entire country as well made him one of the finest players and captains ever. He was technically gifted and a great scorer, and the striker always delivered for the national team.
1. Austin Oduor Origi
The name Origi is, in this day and age, sung in all corners of Anfield in Liverpool. But very few can relate it to the legendary Kenyan footballing family. The Origis have produced some of the finest Kenyan footballers in recent memory. In fact, Divock Origi, the Liverpool striker, is the son to former Kenyan footballer Mike Okoth Origi.
Now, the brother to Mike, Austin Oduor Origi is considered one of the finest captains of the Harambee Stars. Primarily playing as a midfielder, he switched to defence after finding chances hard to come by in the middle of the park.
He captained both Gor and the Harambee Stars in some of the glorious years in the 1980s for Kenyan football. His nickname ‘Makamu’ was derived from him being vice-captain when he broke into the Gor Mahia squad. Makamu is a Swahili word which translates to vice.
Austin’s son Arnold Origi is also one of Kenya’s best ever goalkeepers.
