When one talks about goals scored for Kenya's national team Harambee Stars, Dennis Oliech’s name would definitely pop up.
Oliech prominently scored against Cape Verde, in a 1-0 win that rubber stamped Kenya’s place at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations.
Little is said, however, about one William 'Chege' Ouma who scored more times for the Harambee Stars than Oliech ever did. Ouma scored 35 goals, just one more than Oliech.
While it took Oliech 76 matches over 13 years to net 34 goals, it only took Ouma 66 matches between 1965 and 1977 to hit 35 goals.
Ouma, born in Ziwani, featured for Luo Union which became Re-Union FC between 1964 and 1974. He later moved to Gor Mahia where he played for four years between 1974 and 1978.
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The forward summed up his career at Kisumu Hot Stars where he featured between 1978 and 1980. He has however remained low key, with not much said about his life after football.
In an interview with a local daily in 1989, Ouma bemoaned how the Sports industry had not given back to him as he had given to it.
"It is appalling that sportsmen here only matter when on form. They are never remembered when their days in sports are gone," Ouma was quoted saying.
"I have only a medal to show although I played for the national team for 12 years without a break. I won the medal in 1976 when I was voted the Footballer of the Year '75. I do not have the medal in the city, it is up-country in Bunyala,” he said.
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His only hat trick for the Harambee Stars came in a friendly match against Zambia in Nairobi. The match ended 3-3.
The last goal he scored for the team, on the other hand, came against Réunion national football team at the 1976 Indian Ocean Invitational Tournament.
Current captain Michael Olunga comes in at number eight on the top scorers' chart with 20 goals from 45 matches.
He sits behind Dennis Oliech (34), Elijah Lidonde (33), Ali Kajo (26), Livingstone Madegwa (26), Joe Kadenge (25), and John Baraza (21).
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