Political intrigues may have been behind hooliganism

A report posted in the Nairobian several days ago suggests that the recent violence that saw the match pitting arch rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards abandoned at Nyayo Stadium may have been politically instigated.

Apparently the Nairobian has obtained an audio recording that shows that the violence could have been planned elsewhere and imported to Nyayo Stadium. The two minute recording has unidentified person claiming that a top Jubilee politician used an agent to hire people from Kawangware to disrupt the match.

The recording claims that people were given money to start throwing stones immediately Gor Mahia scored a goal or two. “Three cars were hired to take people to Nyayo Stadium, and they were to start throwing stones once AFC Leopards had gone down. We knew that since Gor Mahia were doing well, they would not easily get provoked,” says the unidentified voice.

The person further claims that the person who gave out money was acting at the behest of a top Jubilee politician. “He lives in Lavington and has been promised Parliamentary seat in Nairobi if he fails in his bid to become Senator in 2017,” the recording continues.

When contacted, Football Kenya Federation chairman Sam Nyamweya said he was not aware if the violence was planned or spontaneous. “I am shocked, and this is criminal if indeed it was planned. Why would anyone want to spoil such a top game?” wondered Nyamweya.

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Chief Executive Jack Oguda admitted he had listened to the audio recording saying: “I received the recording from someone. Apparently he too received it from another source. But we don’t know where it originated from. If we can find the source, then it would help us get to the root of the problem.”

After the match, 19 Gor Mahia fans were supposedly arrested for uprooting the grass planted by the county. Meanwhile AFC fans who were clearly captured on camera throwing stones were not arrested.