Kenyan Premier League champions, Gor Mahia, will receive a brand new 42-seater bus this week.
Club chairman Ambrose Rachier confirmed that the bus will be handed over to the club by ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, who purchased it through his foundation.
The automobile, which bears the club's official colours, will leave the Maanzoni assembling plant for Kasarani on Saturday morning ahead of the record champions' crunch tie against high-flying newbies Murang'a Seal later in the day. It's worth Sh20m.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Rachier expressed gratitude to the CS for delivering on a pledge he made to the club earlier in the year.
"The body of this 42-seater Isuzu bus was constructed by expert bodybuilders. Originally meant to accommodate 62 seats, we removed 20 seats to make it more comfortable for long-distance travel," Rachier said.
"The Eliud Owalo Foundation is the donor. It is paid for and custom. The bus is already registered with the NTSA under the number KDN 068N.
"68 is important for Gor Mahia since it is the year of its founding, as you are aware," he continued.
The news follows the CS's April commitment to assist them in acquiring a new bus in the 'not-too-distant future'.
"It's a major problem. In the previous five years, I've received numerous requests from supporters to band together and purchase a bus for the club.
"Without fear of contradiction, I want to assure you that we will get a bus in the not-too-distant future," Owalo stated then.
In March, auctioneers moved to sell the previous Gor Mahia FC bus after former player, Wellington Ochieng’, successfully petitioned the commercial court to compel the club to offset his wages.
The defender took the club to the Milimani Law Courts in a frantic bid to recover unpaid salaries and sign-on fees exceeding Sh1 million. The sale was conducted by Charlton Auctioneers through a media advertisement.
The automobile, with the license plate KBP 040V, was sold in as-is condition. Ochieng’ represented Gor Mahia from 2016 to 2018.Gor were locked out of this season's Caf Champions League after failing to pay former players.
