Fan trouble, hooliganism and allegations of age-cheating dented the Nyanza Region Secondary Schools Term Two Games which ended on Saturday, July 13, in Kisii County.
Rather than a passionate demonstration of good sportsmanship and talent, disorderly conduct caused disruptions to the games leaving several players, teachers, and fans injured dominated the headlines in games held at Kisii School, Cardinal Otunga Mosocho, and at Gusii Stadium.
Unruly fans disrupted the start of the championship on July 10, forcing the high-stakes match pitting boys’ football champions Agoro Sare Secondary School against Kisumu Day Secondary School to be called off. Kisumu Day later left the pitch, citing crowd hostility.
“When I assessed the situation, it was clear that if we proceeded with the match and scored, it could lead to player injuries. Therefore, I made the decision not to play. Fortunately, the officials witnessed the incident and agreed with my concerns,” said Kisumu Day coach Booker Agutu.
Another preliminary match between Matutu PAG Secondary School and Sameta Secondary School was also disrupted after a disputed goal in the dying minutes led to fans swarming the pitch, causing the game to end prematurely.
The 2018 boys’ football final between Kisumu Day and Ringa Boys High School, which was initially scheduled for Cardinal Otunga, was moved to Kisii School due to crowd size concerns. However, Ringa Boys were unable to get to the location after a throng of fans obstructed the road. The final was ultimately held at St Mary’s Yala in Siaya County without fans.
In 2022, a boys’ football semi-final match between Agoro Sare and Kanga Secondary School was moved from Homa Bay to Kisii School after crowd violence led to the assault of an assistant referee.
Even the 2023 pool match between Agoro Sare and St Mary's Yala wasn't spared. The first half was disrupted by unruly fans, forcing the second half to be relocated to Chianda High School.
The 2024 Nyanza Region boys’ football final has been thrown into disarray following fan violence that erupted during the semi-final match on July 12.
The match between Agoro Sare and Matutu at Cardinal Otunga High School in Mosocho was halted in the 80th minute due to unruly behaviour from spectators. Organisers have yet to announce when the boys’ final match will be played with Agoro also filing a case against Matutu for allegedly fielding ineligible players.
Tobias Ounga, the Nyanza Region Football Commissioner, described the incident as the worst he has witnessed since 2004.
“The lack of barriers at the venue, allowing unrestricted movement by fans, is being blamed as a contributing factor. This was the worst day of my career,” Ounga said.
He cited unprecedented hooliganism which overshadowed the talent showcased by both teams. He also raised concerns over stadium security, with calls for improved stewardship to prevent future disturbances.
Matutu’s head coach, Joseph Ongoro, and defender, David Onyango, were injured during the match and rushed to Kisii Referral Hospital for medical attention.
“I’m disappointed with the events of Friday. Agoro Sare is a school I have great respect for, and I even have a few friends there. Football is about friendship. I realised that they never anticipated we’d face off in such a crucial match.
“I was initially supposed to take up a coaching role at Agoro Sare around April while I was still with Gusii Football Club in the NSL. However, they never followed through, so I opted for Matutu,” Ongoro told Nation Sport after being discharged from the hospital.
Nyanza Regional Director of Education, Lawrence Karuntimi, underscored the rich talent in the region.
“We have talent in the region. The only problem is the fans. My wish is that the secondary school games be left to students and teachers,” he said. Kisii School is also set to host the nationals from July 28 to August 7.
Five out of the eight regions have completed their events. Rift Valley, Western and North Eastern regions will host their championships this week in Bomet, Bungoma and Mandera counties respectively.
