22 thoughts on “The Life and Times of John Okello “Zangi””
@ Admin Muroro Pacho thank you for the story that has taken my mind and soul down the memory lane during those days when i was junior kid watching “okello Zangi” alias “wuod omena” as i grew up in NYALENDA RAILWAYS kISUMU.
James Mbidha alias SPINKS MAUNGU and Okello zangi were by then high school chaps at Kisumu boys while their parents worked for kenya railways in kisumu.
If only Zangi’s parents could not have demised so soon in those mysterious circumstances i believe “Wuod Omena” could be alive.
As a close personnel friend from child hood days i cannot disclose the truth behind “wuod omena” strange death on this forum, but R.I.P “WUOD OMENA” JA-NYAKACH.
EEECH! What a Story.Thanks for keeping us posted about “Zangi”I lived in SOuth B in the 80s;and we would get rides in the Gor Mahia Bus(Green and White) to the Stadium. Kogalo used to train at Mow In SOuth C and they had a club house rented out by my friend,”Odhis” in SOUTH B near Our Lady of Mercy Primary.i ACTUALLY SAW ZANGI when Gor Played AFC and he had moved to AFC THEN.Yes very true!!!!!!!!the fans really yelled at him on that Saturday. Gor Mahia Players used to Call him “John Za’ng”.I cant wait for More stories…If you can do Anthony Ndolo “suzuki” and David Ochieng,”Kamoga” and all the 1987 team.I last saw David Ochieng voting during the 1997 elections in the Donholm area.
Okello zing zang machine wuod gi Ochuka you drove a hot sharp dagger right into my heart when you moved to Efusi. And to add insult to injury they christenned you ‘Wanyonyi’. RIP ja pien.
This is one of the masterpiece for you this season.
The new generation of Gor Mahia will be interested to read about their legends and indeed learn about their great club. K’Ogalo, by no doubt has a rich history and won many accolades both locally and regionally.
The only serious impediment to the growth and development of this great club is corruption and bad governance.
I urge comrades to rise up and steer our own destiny by electing visionary leaders. Ipur systems are still manual. Our secretariat is understaffed, ill- equippped and riddled with nepotism and incompetent personell. Our players and technical bench is poor renumerated and sometimes make do with borrowed facilities. These are not opinions to be debated but facts to be dealt with. We have crossed the rubicon. Our destiny is in our hands. Let us vote wisely in the next AGM.
@Muroro Pacho this is a great story of human interest and well researched. How I wish “Zangi” was a live today and seated at the GM technical bench side by side with JB and Logarusic as one of the assistant coach to take care of our ON and OFF midfield.
For the younger generation of the current “GREEN ARMY” family the only current K’Ogalo player who resembles and can even be better than John Okello “Zangi” is KEVO.
Zangi could make Kevin “Ade-Daddy” omondi become the best creative midfielders of this generation. Up to this moment KEVO has the ability to change the course of GM pattern of play through individual skills. We witnessed while playing MUHORONI during the FKL
quarters, during mathare when we were 2-0 down and just the other day when he rescued
the points from KARUTURI. And this Sunday play him with lavatsa and TUSKER will be done due to speed and creativity.
Ask many defenders in TPL and they will oblige that “Daddy” plays soccer in his own class.
Ziangi’s individual ball control,dribbling skills and juggling in between opponents was un
matched. R.I.P wuod omena ,Omin OCHUKA Ja nyakach.
O’Jabilo i salute you for the brave and articulate observation of Kevo. Its true he comes to our rescue anytime we badly need a game changer.I pray for him that he developes to be a polished top class midfielder in the globe. I hope good leadership and training will suffice to see him accomplish this.
Ole Lelerue, you’ve said it all, we have a perennial problem incalcated by the inept leadership we have.But be warned that this is Kenya when the AGM comes it will be about politics not leadership. That when you encounter our old mamas in action (election).
It leaves many wondering what we wish GM should achieve after all..but thats life.
How i wish we could have a heart to grow and develop things such that players with interest to pursue footballing carrer after palying days may come to impart practical skills to younger players..
Dan,that is good news to me, atlast i will see lavatsa on the starting eleven. These guys have been stupidly earning cards, lasm match it was anguyo and wekesa, now rama. It’s high time loga change his tactics
Thanks for a wonderfull story of zangi who was a grate k’ogalo player.I am also informed that our beloved k’ogalo mayienga mayiengo piny also won against a top english side Norwich city FC . Thats grate and it means k’ogalo is a top club capable of wining against big teams like they did against Black stars of ghana. LONG LIVE K’OGALO.
Thanks for this great story of Okello Zangi. If the Government was behind the mysteriuos death of the family it will be known. Leys remember that the leutenants of Hitler are being hunted down up to day. RIP Zing Zang
zangi started as a hockey player, that is where he got his confusing body movement skills,it was difficult to guage his direction of movement once he got the ball. hockey players those days were trained to be able to move in any of the the compass point
ZANGI Story is ver sad in deed! Though we fans will always remember him with his dazzling moves and speed! Such players could have ply their trade in Europe, and their failure is a sign of mis managed football in Kenya.
I have read the story about Okello Zangi and I have to say I am even now more confused on this fallen Hero. The real person and identity of Okello Zangi is still a misery to me.
Currently, we have one person, mostly in Ramogi FM- Rhumba sessions-who calls himsely Eng. Okello Zangi of KPLC.
Can in it be also confirmed if there was another GOR MAHIS- player who adopted the name Okello Zangi, died and buried in Bondo Constituency-Central Sakwa location??
@ Admin Muroro Pacho thank you for the story that has taken my mind and soul down the memory lane during those days when i was junior kid watching “okello Zangi” alias “wuod omena” as i grew up in NYALENDA RAILWAYS kISUMU.
James Mbidha alias SPINKS MAUNGU and Okello zangi were by then high school chaps at Kisumu boys while their parents worked for kenya railways in kisumu.
If only Zangi’s parents could not have demised so soon in those mysterious circumstances i believe “Wuod Omena” could be alive.
As a close personnel friend from child hood days i cannot disclose the truth behind “wuod omena” strange death on this forum, but R.I.P “WUOD OMENA” JA-NYAKACH.
EEECH! What a Story.Thanks for keeping us posted about “Zangi”I lived in SOuth B in the 80s;and we would get rides in the Gor Mahia Bus(Green and White) to the Stadium. Kogalo used to train at Mow In SOuth C and they had a club house rented out by my friend,”Odhis” in SOUTH B near Our Lady of Mercy Primary.i ACTUALLY SAW ZANGI when Gor Played AFC and he had moved to AFC THEN.Yes very true!!!!!!!!the fans really yelled at him on that Saturday. Gor Mahia Players used to Call him “John Za’ng”.I cant wait for More stories…If you can do Anthony Ndolo “suzuki” and David Ochieng,”Kamoga” and all the 1987 team.I last saw David Ochieng voting during the 1997 elections in the Donholm area.
Actually did not know that his Cousin was Ochuka “Raballa”
A moving story of a truly great and gifted Gor and Harambee Stars player.So sad and tragic end to a stellar playing career.
RIP OMIN OCHUKA!!
Okello zing zang machine wuod gi Ochuka you drove a hot sharp dagger right into my heart when you moved to Efusi. And to add insult to injury they christenned you ‘Wanyonyi’. RIP ja pien.
KEEP US INFORMED ADMIN
Hi Pacho,
This is one of the masterpiece for you this season.
The new generation of Gor Mahia will be interested to read about their legends and indeed learn about their great club. K’Ogalo, by no doubt has a rich history and won many accolades both locally and regionally.
The only serious impediment to the growth and development of this great club is corruption and bad governance.
I urge comrades to rise up and steer our own destiny by electing visionary leaders. Ipur systems are still manual. Our secretariat is understaffed, ill- equippped and riddled with nepotism and incompetent personell. Our players and technical bench is poor renumerated and sometimes make do with borrowed facilities. These are not opinions to be debated but facts to be dealt with. We have crossed the rubicon. Our destiny is in our hands. Let us vote wisely in the next AGM.
@Muroro Pacho this is a great story of human interest and well researched. How I wish “Zangi” was a live today and seated at the GM technical bench side by side with JB and Logarusic as one of the assistant coach to take care of our ON and OFF midfield.
For the younger generation of the current “GREEN ARMY” family the only current K’Ogalo player who resembles and can even be better than John Okello “Zangi” is KEVO.
Zangi could make Kevin “Ade-Daddy” omondi become the best creative midfielders of this generation. Up to this moment KEVO has the ability to change the course of GM pattern of play through individual skills. We witnessed while playing MUHORONI during the FKL
quarters, during mathare when we were 2-0 down and just the other day when he rescued
the points from KARUTURI. And this Sunday play him with lavatsa and TUSKER will be done due to speed and creativity.
Ask many defenders in TPL and they will oblige that “Daddy” plays soccer in his own class.
Ziangi’s individual ball control,dribbling skills and juggling in between opponents was un
matched. R.I.P wuod omena ,Omin OCHUKA Ja nyakach.
O’Jabilo i salute you for the brave and articulate observation of Kevo. Its true he comes to our rescue anytime we badly need a game changer.I pray for him that he developes to be a polished top class midfielder in the globe. I hope good leadership and training will suffice to see him accomplish this.
Ole Lelerue, you’ve said it all, we have a perennial problem incalcated by the inept leadership we have.But be warned that this is Kenya when the AGM comes it will be about politics not leadership. That when you encounter our old mamas in action (election).
It leaves many wondering what we wish GM should achieve after all..but thats life.
How i wish we could have a heart to grow and develop things such that players with interest to pursue footballing carrer after palying days may come to impart practical skills to younger players..
Guys, Just read that Rama will miss the game against Tusker due to 5 yellow cards. Calls for a new strategy. I know we still have the bench power
Dan,that is good news to me, atlast i will see lavatsa on the starting eleven. These guys have been stupidly earning cards, lasm match it was anguyo and wekesa, now rama. It’s high time loga change his tactics
Thanks for a wonderfull story of zangi who was a grate k’ogalo player.I am also informed that our beloved k’ogalo mayienga mayiengo piny also won against a top english side Norwich city FC . Thats grate and it means k’ogalo is a top club capable of wining against big teams like they did against Black stars of ghana. LONG LIVE K’OGALO.
We’ve just lost to Sofapaka on 4-1 in a friendly played at City stadium this morning
Thanks for this great story of Okello Zangi. If the Government was behind the mysteriuos death of the family it will be known. Leys remember that the leutenants of Hitler are being hunted down up to day. RIP Zing Zang
Muroro City
wow!! wonderful story “k’ogalo sirkal”
Good story well narrated takes me back to my school days. ‘Zangi’ was a talent so were many others but he was exceptional. May his soul R.I.P
RIP GREAT ZANGI UA MEMORIES REMAIN 4EVA WITH US
HEZEKIA OCHUKA WAS ACTUALLY OKELLOS LAST BORN UNCLE .ZANGI WAS FORCED TO BE A WITNESS AGAINST HIS UNCLE.
zangi started as a hockey player, that is where he got his confusing body movement skills,it was difficult to guage his direction of movement once he got the ball. hockey players those days were trained to be able to move in any of the the compass point
ZANGI Story is ver sad in deed! Though we fans will always remember him with his dazzling moves and speed! Such players could have ply their trade in Europe, and their failure is a sign of mis managed football in Kenya.
I have read the story about Okello Zangi and I have to say I am even now more confused on this fallen Hero. The real person and identity of Okello Zangi is still a misery to me.
Currently, we have one person, mostly in Ramogi FM- Rhumba sessions-who calls himsely Eng. Okello Zangi of KPLC.
Can in it be also confirmed if there was another GOR MAHIS- player who adopted the name Okello Zangi, died and buried in Bondo Constituency-Central Sakwa location??
wow God remembers His people- so much story here