Former Sofapaka player and CEO Ronald Okoth, has spoken on he coached twins who later turned to be goons.
In an interview with NTV, Okoth, who also played for Gor Mahia, expressed his sadness upon seeing the twins he once coached being involved in violent incidents against peaceful protesters in Nairobi’s CBD, where demonstrators were calling for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat.
“It was a moment of mixed emotions for me,” Okoth recounted. “Having watched them grow from the age of four, it was heartbreaking to see them on the news attacking peaceful protesters.”
Ronald Okoth Narrates His Past Relationship with the Twins
Okoth has known the twins since his early days as a football player for Sofapaka, where they served as ball boys during training sessions. They also used to attend friendly matches held at his academy, RO Sports, which was located in Jerusalem, Nairobi.
He expressed disappointment at seeing such talented individuals making headlines for the wrong reasons.
“I first got to know them between 2008 and 2010, when I was just starting my football career. They were extremely talented. Now, more of their pictures are circulating on social media, and it’s disheartening to see them featured in this context,” Okoth explained.
Also Read: Babu Owino’s Message to Sakaja After Expose of Goons Hired to Disrupt Protests
According to Okoth, if his football academy had not relocated from Jerusalem, the twins could have benefited from the program and avoided engaging in criminal activities.
He narrated how a disagreement with a local Member of County Assembly (MCA) forced him to move the academy to Eastleigh High School. This move negatively impacted several players who could not make the journey to the new training grounds, including the twins.
How Dispute of Football Pitch Made Twins’ Turn to Crime
Okoth believes that if the academy had remained at the original location, their involvement in football could have altered the twins’ life trajectories.
“I truly believe that if we had continued to have access to that public space—which we were wrongfully denied while others were allowed—many kids could have been saved from such vices,” he stated.
Also Read: Goons Attempt to Break Into KCB Bank Nairobi
Earlier, on June 19, 2025, after seeing images of the goons attacking protesters, Okoth posted a statement reflecting on his previous clash with the MCA, who limited access to the public space where he trained local youth.
He mentioned that after being forced to relocate, he had warned the MCA that sidelined youth could pose problems in the future.
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