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Kenyan fans react to Gor Mahia's new Sheria Ngowi kits.
Gor Mahia’s newly unveiled kits, designed by Tanzanian manufacturing company Sheria Ngowi, have sparked heated reactions among Kenyan football fans. The designs, which were showcased on the club’s social media platforms, feature both home and away kits with bold design choices that have left fans torn.
Sheria Ngowi, a company that has already gained recognition for outfitting Tanzanian Premier League clubs, including giants Yanga SC, has now added Gor Mahia to their list of clients. However, the kits' unconventional look, especially the home jersey’s inclusion of black, a color traditionally absent from Gor Mahia's palette, has generated significant controversy.
On Thursday, the club officially unveiled the kits, and the home design, in particular, received mixed responses. The home kit, featuring a splash of black around the neck, raised eyebrows due to its departure from Gor Mahia’s iconic green and white colors.
On Sheria Ngowi's official X (formerly Twitter) account, the designer explained the inspiration behind the black accents.
“The home kit in Gor’s traditional green features an aerial map of Kisumu, as well as a powerful design which symbolizes the waves of Lake Victoria,” Sheria Ngowi stated. Despite this explanation, the black elements were a sticking point for many supporters.
The design of the third kit, which is entirely black, was also explained by the brand: “The official color of the jersey is black (symbolizing African heritage and the Luo community), featuring a monogram logo with the initials 'GM' where the 'G' is small and the 'M' is large.
“This represents the ups and downs the club has gone through to become one of the oldest and most famous clubs in Africa.”
This creative backstory did little to quell the fans’ discontent, with many criticizing the overuse of black.
One fan remarked, “Hapa nayo wametucheza iyo too much of black (They played us. Too much of black)," while another expressed outrage over the perceived lack of innovation. “Black isn't Gor Mahia colors. Go to the club badge to know the colors. Stop copy-pasting Yanga and Nigeria kit. Be innovative.”
Another fan echoed these sentiments, accusing the designers of copying from Yanga SC: “Endelea kutengeneza vitenge za yanga tu, unatuharibia jezi sisi Wakenya (Just keep making kitenge jerseys for Yanga. You have ruined our kits as Kenyans).”
Despite the backlash over the home kit, the third kit seemed to fare slightly better with the fans. While still black, its deeper connection to the club’s heritage resonated with some. One fan admitted, “This one is much better than the home kit.”
Meanwhile, the away kit, predominantly white with shades of green, received less criticism but was still compared to Nigeria’s national team kits. “Hii ni Super Eagles bana (This is a Super Eagles replica),” a fan commented. Another simply said, “You failed. All you did was copy-paste the Nigeria one.”
Sheria Ngowi defended the away kit’s design, explaining that the initials “GM” were emblazoned on the shoulders to remind players and staff of their responsibility to the club. However, even this symbolic touch couldn’t escape criticism.
Fans also took issue with the presentation of the kits, pointing out the unflattering wrinkles on the shirts worn by models in the promotional photos. “Next time, tell your kit manager to at least iron the kits before giving them to you,” one fan sarcastically commented.
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Adding to the frustration, many supporters expressed disappointment over the lack of information on where to purchase the new kits. One fan voiced their concern: “Mtuambie pia jezi zinapatikana wapi... si kuweka tu picha ya mapambo (Tell us where to get the jerseys. Not just decorations).” Others echoed this sentiment, with some even calling the club’s marketing strategy “the worst ever” for not providing purchasing details.
However, the manufacturer announced on their social media platforms on Friday morning that official communication will be made on where the kits can be acquired from.
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