Namwamba reprimands Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards over 'grave blunders'

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has castigated Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards for the mess that has seen them reprimanded heavily by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) and world football governing body, Fifa.

Gor Mahia were last week kicked out from the CAF Champions League draw after they failed to pay three of their former players outstanding dues amounting to over Sh5 million.

Fifa then slapped AFC Leopards with a Sh20 million fine after they breached their contract with Belgian coach Patrick Aussems. Leopards had just completed serving a three window transfer ban over pay disputes with their former players.

Namwamba said on Friday night said that the government has come up with a special intervention support for the two teams.

Besides rewarding Gor Mahia with Sh5 million for winning the 2022/2023 Football Kenya Federation Premier League title, the government gave the club an additional Sh5 million for a total Sh10 million to offset the dues they owe their former players.

Namwamba also gave AFC Leopards Sh5 million to help them offset the fee slapped by Fifa.

“We won’t give these clubs the money but we shall instead send it directly to Fifa and CAF,” said Namwamba.

“We are not going to allow club officials to mess up with the lives of players again,” said Namwamba, adding that the problems AFC and Gor are facing have been brought about by "bad manners."

Namwamba was speaking during the inaugural Cabinet Secretary's Champions reception at Safari Park Hotel where the government used an estimated Sh100m to reward and honour Kenya’s leading sporting and creative talents.

Namwamba said Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier should have contacted him urgently if they faced such a problem instead of waiting until CAF acted to suspend them from the Champions League.

“Rachier being my friend and fellow lawyer, should have talked to me. Why ask me to close the door after the horse has already bolted out?” posed Namwamba.

Gor Mahia Football Club management went into a spin on Thursday last week after CAF revoked the club’s CAF Club Licensing Certificate for breaching CAF Club Licensing Regulation.

That saw Gor Mahia locked out of the 2023-24 CAF Champions League draw that was held on Tuesday.

In a letter to the club’s chairman Ambrose Rachier dated July 20, this year, Football Kenya Federation Secretary General Barry Otieno said that the FKF Club Licensing First Instance Boby (FIB), on the advice of CAF, had revoked Gor Mahia Licensing Certificate for being in breach of Article 60 of the CAF Men’s Club Licensing Regulation.

This after former Gor Mahia players Sando Yangayay Sando, Adama Keita and Jules Ulimwengu reached out to CAF due to breach of payment agreements and overdue payables of close to Sh5 million.

Gor Mahia were given the deadline of 4pm on Friday last week but the club failed to pay in time, which saw their license revoked and kicked out for the Champions League draw.

Besides rewarding Gor Mahia with Sh5 million for winning the KPL title, Namwamba also gave Sh5 million each to  Kakamega Homeboyz for winning FKF Cup, Vihiga Queens, who won the Women’s Kenya Premier League and Ulinzi Starlets who lifted the Women’s FKF Cup.

Shabana FC and Murang'a Seals received Sh3 million and Sh2 million respectively for qualifying to the 2023/2024 KPL.

Shabana lifted the National Super League (NSL) title after finishing top with 73 points to qualify for the top flight league as Murang'a Seals joined them after they finished second with 69 points.

All the teams in the KPL and NSL got a token of Sh 500,000 each.

“We realised that all these leagues didn’t have a sponsor and this is just to cushion them ahead of the new season that starts in three weeks’ time,” said Namwamba, who warned that the gesture is a one-off package. “It’s not the government’s responsibility to take over the place of sponsors.”

“I want Gor Mahia and Leopards to go to schools and tap the natural talent witnessed during the school games throughout the country,” said Namwamba, who also rewarded football legends including JJ Masiga, Josephat Murila, Bobby Ogolla, Peter Dawo, Dennis Oliech, Mike Okoth, Douglas Mutua, McDonald Mariga, Victor Wanyama, Mahmoud Abass, Sammy Sholei, Austin Oduor, Jared Ingutia (deceased), Joe Kadengo (deceased) and James Siang’a (deceased).

“Our support for football will be special next season. We have a new sponsorship for the football teams right from Division Two to the top. We will announce the sponsor before the kick-off of 2023/2024 season,” said Namwamba.