The fight between Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa on one hand and Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards on the other, took a dramatic turn over the weekend after politicians vowed to remove him from office.
Mwendwa fined both clubs a total of Sh10 million and docked them three points each after they failed to honour their league match two weeks ago.
The two clubs were demanding the prize money for the Betway Cup. FKF has since paid Gor and Leopards. Bidco United and Equity Bank, who finished third and fourth respectively, have also received their dues.
FKF has also provisionally suspended Gor chairman Ambrose Rachier and his Leopards counterpart Dan Shikanda though the latter has already challenged that decision in the Sports Dispute Tribunal.
With tension already boiling, Siaya Senator James Orengo and former assistant minister Peter Kenneth have slammed Mwendwa for fining the two clubs which command the largest following in the country.
Speaking in Sagam village, Gem Constituency, Siaya County over the weekend during Rachier brother’s burial, Orengo urged the two clubs to stay put and not pay the fines as the issue is now in their hands.
“How do you even fine Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards. Fining Gor which is a mass movement is like trying to fine the goverment. Where were you born to try fining the goverment?” posed Orengo amid cheers from mourners and self-proclaimed K’Ogalo number one fan Jaro Soja who chanted ‘Mwendwa Must Go’.
“The current leadership in football is not doing a good job. On top of fining Gor, they also fined our shemejis AFC Leopards. If you are killing these two clubs, where are you taking football in this country? Jaro just leave this matter to us, it will be pursued to the end,” added an irked Orengo insisting Mwendwa has to pack and go.
Kenneth jokingly said Mwendwa can even be handled by Jaro Soja and Gor fans on the streets.
“We don’t want to look silly, (Jaro) Soja can handle Mwendwa. This is not even a big issue. In Gor Mahia stone throwing is free unless somebody doesn’t know what they are really saying,” said Kenneth, himself a former football federation chief.
Calls for Mwendwa to leave office continue to gather momentum accross the country with demonstrations having been held in Nairobi, Kisumu, Kakamega and Kitale last week.
They will continue on Monday in Bungoma before heading to Busia, Mbale, Nakuru, Eldoret and Mombasa this week. BY DAILY NATION