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Benson Omalla: Gor Mahia complete signing of highly-rated forward from Western Stima
The teenager joins K’Ogalo and will be expected to fight for the first team position with Nicholas Kipkirui and Tito Okello
Kenyan Premier League side Gor Mahia have signed Western Stima striker Benson Omalla.
The highly-rated teenager had been linked with Wazito FC but K’Ogalo have had the last laugh as they have confirmed him as the newest star in their bus.
"We are pleased to announce the signing of teenage sensation striker Benson Omalla Ochieng," Gor Mahia said as they confirmed the arrival of the Form Four Student at Kisumu Day.
Omalla was a key figure for the Powermen last season as he registered a number of records. He became the first Western Stima star to hit a hat-trick in a KPL match; a record he wrote against Zoo FC at Kisumu’s Moi Stadium in December where they won 4-1.
He was subsequently named the KPL Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) Player of the Month for December. Omalla broke a six-year history by becoming the third Western Stima player to win the award.
Kenneth Muguna, who is set to be his new teammate and captain at Gor Mahia should he not leave, lifted the SJAK award in 2015 as he was serving the Kisumu side. The other player to have done so is Wesley Kemboi.
Omalla featured in the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom All-Stars team that visited Spain in 2019 after he emerged as the Nyanza region's top scorer.
The teenager made his debut against KCB, did score his maiden goal versus the Bankers and did not look back since then.
He also earned a national team call-up for Kenya U20 in the 2019 Cecafa Challenge Cup that was held in Uganda where he found the back of the net in two occasions.
His arrival at Gor Mahia means he has followed in the footsteps of Geoffrey Ochieng, Bernard Ondiek, Joash Onyango and Muguna from Western Stima to K’Ogalo.
Omalla will be expected to vie for first team places with former Zoo striker Kipkirui and Ugandan star Okello.
Okello is among the new players who have been signed by the Green Army in the ongoing transfer season.
The arrival of Omalla comes as Juma Balinya – the former Police FC striker was signed from Yanga SC in January – is understood to be on his way out of the club and is negotiating with KCCA FC.
He is the third player to arrive at Gor Mahia from Western Stima in this window after goalkeeper Samuel Njau and midfielder Sydney Ochieng did so.
Bertrand Konfor, John Macharia and Andrew Juma are the other new faces at the club that is preparing to carry Kenya’s flag in the 2020/21 Caf Champions League.
