Former Harambee Stars defender and Gor Mahia legend Austin Oduor dead

Austin Oduor, the revered Gor Mahia legend and former Harambee Stars defender is dead.

According to his brother Anthony Origi, the deceased was taken ill last evening and rushed to hospital, put on Oxygen but lost the battle.

The legend, according to his brother Origi, has never had a history of chronic illnesses.

He is famed for captaining Gor Mahia in the heroic season of 1987 and leading the team to winning the Nelson Mandela Cup.

The deceased is the father to Arnold Origi, the former Harambee Stars goalkeeper. He is also the brother to Mike Okoth, who starred for Harambee Stars in the 1990s and early 2000, featuring in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations Finals in Tunis, Tunisia.

Former ICT Cabinet Secretary and Gor supporter, Eliud Owallo mourned the departed legend saying he learnt of his demise with “profound shock.”

Owalo, on his X account said, “It is with profound shock that I have learnt of the sudden death of Kenyan Soccer Legend, Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars award-winning Captain Austin “Makamu” Oduor-a soccer Idol.

It is only three days ago that Austin and other former Kenyan Soccer Internationals paid a courtesy call on me at our Gangu Village home in Asembo.

I remember with nostalgia the memorable moments we have spent together with Austin, the guidance I got from him from time to time, the many initiatives we pursued together in supporting grassroots soccer activities, the conceptualisation and operationalising of the Gor Mahia Legends’ welfare sustainability fund;and the plans we had for the future.

I have lost a friend; an elder brother; a Guardian; and a role model in life.

 At this moment of grief, I join the Origi family; friends; relatives; and the entire Kenyan soccer fraternity in mourning one of the best and perhaps most disciplined and respected footballers Kenya has ever produced.”

Ex-international Sammy ‘Kempes' Owino who played with Oduor, also sent his condolences.

"Oduor was a childhood friend, we grew up together. In fact I'm the one who recommend him to Gor, we literally lived together. We played together at Umeme FC. In 1981 we went with him to Malawi to play in the East African Championship, at that time he wasn't a regular but I knew he was going to be something."

"My sincere condolences to the family and friends of friend and brother Austin Oduor, he will be dearly missed by so many," Owino said.