Gor Mahia and arch rivals AFC Leopards are already gearing up for the eagerly anticipated “Mashemeji” derby, the biggest club football fixture in Kenya, but where will it be staged?
AFC Leopards are the host of this Football Kenya Federation Premier League fixture and have traditionally staged it at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Gor Mahia were the last team to play at Nyayo when they hosted Egyptian side Al Ahly in the second leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League on September 21.
The venue is a busy construction site with a media centre and dressing room undergoing massive renovations. Near the entrance, construction materials have been assembled though construction work is yet to begin at the stands and the playing surface.
MISC, Kasarani was closed on December 16, last year and has been undergoing renovations. It is one of the designated venues for the 2027 Afcon.
On Tuesday, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards remained coy on the venue of the game which always attracts a huge attendance figure, by Kenyan standards.
Leopards are promoting the fixture on their official Facebook page indicating it will be held at Nyayo Stadium.
However, the club treasure Oliver Napali could not confirm if they had secured the facility only saying they were pushing for the government-owned venue to be made available.
FKF Leagues and Competitions Committee chairman Michael Majua told Nation Sport the venue will be confirmed today (Wednesday) after the pre-match conference.
Closure of Nyayo and Kasarani has impacted negatively on the Nairobi-based clubs with Gor and AFC Leopards forced to host their league games at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County.
However, a high risk clash of Mashemeji derby magnitude can’t be handled at the facility which has also been over used in the eight round of league matches played so far.
Gor Mahia CEO Ray Oruo said they had not got any communication on the match venue and will know the fate of the contest in a meeting with the leagues and competition committee today.
“We don’t know the venue of the game yet, ” said Oruo.
Lately, FKF-PL has witnessed violent behaviour perpetrated by the two sets of the popular clubs heightening the need for a facility that can handle the high-risk clash.
