Tribunal sets aside verdict on botched Gor Mahia match, orders rehearing
Gor Mahia's Sylvester Onyango removes flares from the pitch during ttheir league match against Nairobi United at Dandora Stadium, Nairobi, on December 21, 2025.
The Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) has squashed the ruling by the Football Kenya Federation Leagues and Competition Committee that declared an abandoned league match between Nairobi United and table leaders Gor Mahia a completed fixture.
In its ruling on Friday, the SDT found that FKF League and Competition Committee led by Peter Kamau erred. SDT subsequently ordered the committee to conduct a fresh hearing of the matter and deliver a ruling by Tuesday next week.
The tribunal also declared that the FKF Disciplinary Committee, as presently constituted, is invalid. Further, the SDT, nullified the revised FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football (revised) because the rules were not adopted in accordance with FKF’s constitution.
The SDT also ordered FKF to regularise the constitution of all its judicial bodies “within 60 days, ensuring full compliance with its constitution framework governing elections and appointments of members of its judicial bodies.”
On December 21, 2025 a league match between Nairobi United and Gor held at Dandora Stadium in Nairobi was abandoned in the 58th minute due to crowd trouble. The teams were tied 1-1.
On January 30, the committee said in a statement that it had determined that the match “was abandoned due to force majeure (irresistible compulsion).”
“In accordance with the FKF Rules and Regulations, the result at the time of abandonment has been upheld as a 1–1 draw,” the committee said.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Nairobi United moved to the SDT. The matter was heard by a three-member panel of SDT Deputy Chairperson Allan Mola, and members Peris Mukoko, and Luke Wamugunda. In its ruling, the SDT said the committee’s decision was “reached under an invalid regulatory framework and in violation of the rules of natural justice.”
The tribunal directed that when the matter is heard again, the committee must fully adhere to “rules of natural justice” and only apply the FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football (2019) and not the revised FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football that it had used. The SDT found that the revised FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football were enacted without compliance with Articles 21, 24, and 32 of the FKF Constitution. After the committee issued its ruling on January 30, AFC Leopards chairman Boniface Ambani questioned how FKF had come up with a revised version of the FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan football without following the due process which includes collecting views from stakeholders and having it adopted by the FKF General Assembly.
“The rehearing shall be conducted fairly, within the next five (5) days from today’s date, with full adherence to the rules of natural justice and the 1st respondent shall apply the FKF Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football (2019), being the only validly enacted regulations currently in force,” SDT’s ruling said.
In its ruling on January 30 which upheld the match’s result, the committee stated that it had referred matters relating to misconduct in the match to the FKF Disciplinary Committee “for further action where applicable”.
In declaring the FKF Disciplinary Committee invalid, the SDT said the committee was not constituted in accordance with Article 64(4) of the FKF Constitution. Article 64(4) of the FKF Constitution states that members of the FKF Disciplinary Committee only assume office after their appointment is adopted by the FKF General Assembly.
The FKF Disciplinary Committee members are nominated by the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC).
The members of the FKF Disciplinary Committee are chairperson Nadi Boru, vice chairperson Isaac Macharia and members Wilson Alumasa, Winna Shilavula, Sarah Ochwada and Ali Ahmed.
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