The impulse between outgoing BetKing Premier League champions Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) continued on Monday as the Gor Mahia chairman,Ambrose Rachier, hit back at FKF’s decision to fine the club and dock them points after forfeiting the Mashemeji derby last weekend.
Rachier says that Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa did not follow up the laid down procedures while imposing the ban and fine to both AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia.
The two clubs were on Sunday, August 1, fined Ksh 6 million and Ksh 4 million respectively for failing to honour the derby and both club chairmen(Ambrose Rachier and Dan Shikanda) provisionally suspended by the federation.
The two clubs decided not to play the planned league match that was scheduled for the Thika stadium, instead they played a friendly match at the Camp Toyoyo in Jericho.
"You cannot make a ruling without giving someone an opportunity to be heard, even natural justice advocates for such," Rachier said in a presser.
"The chairmen had to be given an opportunity to be heard. How do you suspend somebody without framing a charge? Where are the provisions of those fines and how were they arrived at? Or is it people who are trying to conjure up Ksh 10 million? What is the basis of those fines? And do you fine somebody who you have not tried, whom you have not found guilty?
"There is a disciplinary committee that is supposed to deal with us and it is at that time when we should know what the claims are. You cannot sentence without a hearing, it is a known process. Fining somebody is a kind of punishment. But without a hearing? That is the kind of trash that somebody could be talking about and says he is talking law."
"Let us come now to docking of points, this is something that happened just once in 2016 when we were about to become champions but three points were removed after it was said fans had misbehaved in a previous match and Tusker became champions," Rachier added.
"Before and after that, it has never happened? Was the rule made for Gor Mahia? If you don't honour a match, your points are forfeited. We gave it a thought and asked what are the points worth if your players are hungry? When your coaches are hungry? You cannot convert points to money.
"We should try to salvage the image of football and address serious issues. For example, the sponsors BetKing have reportedly left, we should know why? That is what the president should be addressing.
"Another issue that the president should be addressing is the stadium; our players have been injured badly in stadiums that are rugged, unkept and unplayable. We don't understand why Nyayo is permanently closed, only open for rugby and international matches, same with Kasarani Stadium."
Rachier meanwhile confirmed the issue is with Gor Mahia's lawyers and the next step of action will be known in due course.
Elsewhere, AFC Leopards will also await for legal advice before taking the next course of action in their dispute against the federation.
The club’s executive committee met on Monday evening and decided that they were going to await for legal advice as the matter intensified.
Club chairman Dan Shikanda said they will be making their stand known on Wednesday August 4 after exhausting all the legal avenues.
“We will consult and issue the statement after talking to our lawyers. We are waiting for the charge sheets now that we already have the fine and suspensions. We are waiting to get their final advice on the way forward before we take any step,” Shikanda said.
“We have given them those papers (fine and suspension letters) and definitely when they are through with them they will get back to us, maybe today or tomorrow (Wednesday).