This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
Media Mogul Sam Ocholla Tipped to Transform Gor Mahia ¶
On August 8, 2020, Gor Mahia held hotly contested elections, with only Chairman Ambrose Rachier, who has served for 12 years, being elected unopposed. Secretary General Sam Ochola, who has a Bachelor of Commerce degree, was elected to lead the day-to-day running of the club.
Ochola, a media and advertising professional, has spent his career in the industry. He is the owner of Kisumu-based Dala FM and Lolwe TV, which he founded in 2009 and 2014, respectively. His election came as no surprise due to his long-time involvement with youth football in Kisumu and Gor Mahia.
As the new Secretary General, Ochola has promised to use his marketing and management skills to attract sponsors back to the club. In 2017, Gor Mahia announced a deal with Dala FM to sponsor its youth team, which saw the players earn regular monthly pay for the first time.
However, the task ahead of Ochola will be unlike anything he faced in the media. To achieve Gor Mahia's potential, the club needs to build a stadium, secure meaningful sponsorships, create an organized membership structure, and collect regular fees. It also needs to stop losing its best players to other leading continental clubs.
Multiple reports indicate that Ochola was one of the key financiers at the club, staying on after the main sponsor, sports betting firm Sportpesa, pulled out of the Kenyan market in 2019. Fans hope that Ochola will make a difference at K'Ogalo and improve the club's brand to be among the world's best.
