Leave me out of your controversy, Ochieng tells critics

Ulinzi Stars’ striker Enosh Ochieng is over the moon after hitting and surpassing his 2018-2019 target of 15 league goals and claiming the ‘Golden Boot’.

Ochieng grabbed a hat-trick over the weekend against Mt Kenya United to take his tally to unassailable 20 and was confirmed as the season’s best scorer— an achievement which is way above the target he had set before the season began.

However, his fruition received fierce criticism online as his goals last weekend saw him topple Allan Wanga’s tally. The match, which was initially set to be played last Wednesday, the final league day but was pushed to last weekend amid complaints that a walkover had been dished to Ulinzi.

The former Muhoroni Youth man, who was a goal shy of Wanga score, did not disappoint as he put three past the line in the rescheduled match, eliciting debate online on whether it was necessary to have the match played. Pundits opined that allowing Ulinzi to replay the already relegated side when the league was over handed Ochieng the advantage over Wanga. Homeboyz played their final match last Wednesday against Sofapaka.

However, Ochieng distanced himself from the running of the fixtures and revealed his plan of making his way to the final squad of the Chan squad. “I have no say on how the league and the fixtures are run and I believe I would have scored even if the match was played earlier. I had given myself a target of 15 goals and managing 20 means I overachieved and can now shift focus on the CHAN squad after getting a call up to the provisional squad.”

Meanwhile, Ulinzi Stars released a statement detaching themselves from any links of fixing the match to aid their striker claim the Golden Boot. In a lengthy statement,  the soldiers say they fulfilled their obligation of honouring the fixture and concerns should be directed to the league body.

“Ulinzi Stars vs Mount Kenya United was a troubled match from the word go and for the sake of Kenyan football and stability, we should all be thankful it was played.

"Had a walkover been awarded, we’d be in deeper trouble since all the Mount Kenya results and stats in the second leg would have been wiped off the standings (including one of Wanga’s goals), three points from Gor Mahia, three from Kakamega Homeboyz etc, etc.

"This data is available in KPL and public domain. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s not be deluded; we need to rethink the management of football in Kenya without blaming the innocent parties. Let’s congratulate deserving winners and move on in peace and unity for Kenyan football,” said the statement.