๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ “๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐” ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ
The “Green Commandos” nickname for Kakamega High School’s football team has its origins in a turning point for the schoolโs football journey.
In 1978, Kakamega High suffered a tough defeat in the Provincial finals at the hands of Musingu High School, with Pius “Khoi Khoi” Masinza being the standout player that day. Kakamegaโs star-studded team, which included players like Washington Muhanji, Anyanzwa (Barboza), Peter Ouma, Juma Sambaka, Titus Lupamo, and Topi Lyambila, was devastated by the loss.
Determined to rebuild the team, Gaylord Avedi, the principal of Kakamega High, presented the team with a brand-new green uniform during a school parade.
As Peter Lichungu, a former player, recalls, Avedi declared: “I have bought you this green uniform and you will be my soldiers. You will be my Green Commandos that will fight for our comeback in football.”
Avediโs statement became the rallying cry that marked the birth of the now-legendary nickname “Green Commandos.”
From that moment, the team embarked on a remarkable journey, going on to win the national secondary school football title five times consecutively.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐
Kakamega High alumnus Henry Were, who was at the school between 1978 and 1983, holds the late Principal Avedi in high esteem for laying the foundation of the Green Commandosโ success.
According to Were, Avedi supported the team behind the scenes, backing legendary coach Chris Makokha and his assistant Mr. Kwendo Inyambukho. Avedi also facilitated the recruitment of talented players through scholarships and ensured they received special meals, further strengthening the teamโs dominance.
To this day, the Green Commandos remains as the most successful school football team in Kenya.
