Gor Mahia, AFC, Shabana Among Top Football Clubs To Feature In ODM's Tournament

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has revealed plans to host a special football tournament in Mombasa as part of its ongoing 20th anniversary celebrations.

In a statement released on Tuesday, October 7, the party said the event would unite some of Kenya’s top football clubs in what it termed a first-ever tournament organized by a political party.

The two-day competition will feature Kenya Premier League heavyweights AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia, Shabana FC, and Bandari FC, and is set to take place in Mombasa over the weekend.

"The tournament, which is part of the ODM at Twenty celebrations, will feature Kenya's soccer giants AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia as well as Shabana FC and Bandari FC, and is scheduled to kick off on Thursday, 9th, and end on Friday, 10th," the statement announced.

ODM announced that the match fixtures were finalized during a draw held in Nairobi, where Bandari FC was paired to face AFC Leopards in the tournament’s opening game.

The party noted that the draw took place last Wednesday at a Nairobi hotel, with the first match scheduled for Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. The second fixture will see Shabana FC from Kisii take on Gor Mahia FC at 4:00 p.m.

ODM stated that teams defeated in the opening matches will face each other in the play-offs ahead of the grand finale scheduled for Friday afternoon.

The play-off match will take place at noon, followed by the final at 2:00 p.m., featuring the winners of the earlier fixtures.

The party added that the tournament champion will later take on an ODM-affiliated team in a special exhibition match to conclude the anniversary celebrations.

"The winners of the tournament will play an exhibition match with Chungwa FC, which will comprise players from the ODM party and ODM Members of Parliament featuring in the Bunge FC," the statement concluded.

All matches are set to take place at the Mbaraki Sports Grounds. The ODM@20 celebrations have been in the works for several months, with extensive planning to mark what the party has described as a historic milestone.

In a statement released on Friday, September 19, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), chaired by National Chairperson Governor Gladys Wanga, met in Nairobi to assess progress and finalize preparations for the anniversary events.

The NEC approved a comprehensive lineup of activities for the official celebrations in Mombasa and Kilifi Counties, including a four-team knockout football tournament aimed at uniting fans and party supporters through sport.

In addition to the tournament, the party organized a Youth Summit to convene young leaders from across the country, underscoring the youth’s vital role in ODM’s future.

A Women’s Convention was also scheduled to recognize and amplify the contributions of women in advancing democracy and social justice.

The programme further included a Breakfast for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), centered on inclusion and empowerment — a reflection of ODM’s commitment to keeping disability rights at the heart of national discourse.

As preparations ramped up, the party released a delegate registration notice on Tuesday, September 23, announcing it would sponsor selected participants from all 290 constituencies.

However, other members interested in attending were encouraged to register independently via the party’s online portal, which remained open until Monday, September 29.

ODM women and party officials from Nairobi when they converged at Bomas of Kenya for special interdenominational prayers on February 10, 2025. /ODM PARTY