Gor Mahia forward Shariff Musa has penned a heartbreaking tribute to his late brother, Salim Musa, after honouring a promise by presenting his Kenyan Premier League winners’ medal at his grave.
Musa lost his brother before the start of the season but carried his memory with him throughout the campaign, eventually helping Gor Mahia lift the league title.
In emotional photos shared on social media, the forward was seen placing his winners’ medal at Salim’s graveside, bringing to an end a journey defined by grief, resilience, and an unbreakable promise.
According to Musa, the two had made a pact before the season began. Salim promised to overcome his addiction if his brother could bring home a league winners’ medal.
“Before the season started, I had a bet with my brother Salim. He told me, ‘Bring me a winner’s league medal, and I will quit my addiction.’ I embraced the challenge because I wanted to see the best version of my brother,” Musa wrote.
The Gor Mahia attacker revealed that Salim fulfilled his side of the bargain, overcoming his addiction after a difficult seven-month stay in hospital.
Tragically, he passed away before the new season kicked off.
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“Before the league started, my brother had already won his bet. He stopped his addiction and kept his word. But he kept his word in death.”
Musa admitted that while fans saw him smiling, dancing, and celebrating on matchdays, he was carrying immense pain behind the scenes.
“Behind the smile you saw on those matchdays was a wound that never healed. The celebrations made me feel okay for a moment, but every day I was carrying the pain of watching my brother suffer.”
The forward also disclosed that at a time when he was being criticised for his performances, he was dealing with a personal battle few knew about.
“There was a time I struggled on the field and faced a lot of backlash, but behind the scenes, I was fighting a battle no one knew. I lost my brother, and the same day I buried him, I travelled back to play. I didn’t have time to mourn because I had a promise to fulfil.”
That promise was finally fulfilled when Gor Mahia clinched the league title, allowing Musa to take the medal he had fought for all season to his brother’s final resting place.
“At the end of it all, I got him his medal. I don’t know how my performances were because the person who always told me the truth now lies in the ground. The only thing I know is that I kept my word.”
He concluded the emotional message with a final goodbye to the brother he described as his friend and biggest fan.
“Salim Musa, goodbye my brother, goodbye my friend, goodbye my fan. I now let you go. Rest, Champ.”
