Butali Sugar Warriors Coach Cliffe Okello passes on

The Kenyan sports fraternity has been plunged into fresh mourning following the demise of Butali Sugar Warriors Coach Cliffe Okello who passed away on Tuesday morning.

Sources intimate to Citizen Digital indicate Okello, who enjoyed a career spanning more than a decade playing for the now defunct Kisumu Simba Club, has been suffering from an on and off ailment.

Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Chairman Nashon Randiek – who coached Okello during his days at Simba – condoled with his family while assuring them of the union’s support.

“We worked together for so long and it’s saddening to learn he is no more. I watched Okello grow from a good defender into a great Coach. His loyalty for his club will be solely missed.

“He was a very dedicated and meticulous hockey fanatic who raised players that went on to play for many teams including Police, Strathmore, Wazalendo. In fact, the legacy is alomst every team in Kenya has a player that has passed through his hands,” Randiek said.

Okello’s Simba was disbanded in 2014 prompting his move to Butali as a coach.

He enjoyed instant success as a tactician in his new club, winning the KHU Premier League in two successive seasons before a finals upset against Strathmore last year denied him the hatrick.

After guiding Butali through pre-tournament preparations, Okello was unfortunate not to witness his team shine at City Park as illness struck again just a few days before the opening games.

He then traveled back to his home town, Kisumu, for treatment but his body failed to respond and it is there that he met his death a few weeks later.

Okello’s death comes at a time when Kenyan sport has yet to bury another of its own; former Kenyan international and Homeboyz RFC forward Andrew Wekesa who was killed by suspected thugs on the night of January 15.

Butali Sugar finished third at the Hockey Africa Cup of Club Championship to win the bronze medal after emerging 3-0 winners over Ghana Police in the men third place playoffs.