Rachier set to exit as Chairman
Ambrose Rachier, who has had the longest ever tenure as Gor Mahia chairman (11 years) and who has won more league titles than any other Chairman (6) is set to leave the club.
Additional reporting from Citizen Sport
Long serving Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier,69, has shocked the football world announcing his intent to step down from his role at the end of the year.
In a heart-to -heart interview with Citizen Digital, Rachier said that he will not offer himself for re-election in December – during which the constitutional changes he has instituted at the club are expected to culminate in fresh polls.
“My position is that we’re going through the constitution making process which should be concluded in June. I estimate that we will need another six months to put everything in place and by December, in my estimation, we should have elections.
He added: “What I’m saying is that I won’t offer myself for re-election at the end of the year in the next election.
“We will be looking for some window period…to hold elections so that it doesn’t interfere with the team,” he said.
Queried as to why he’s suddenly leaving a club which he has led with distinction for 11 years, Rachier said: “The new Sports Act requires us (federation officials and club presidents) to do two terms of four years.
He went on: “Overstaying is usual; it is a disease especially at levels of governance in Africa. It’s a noble thing to leave it (leadership) to younger generation. There are others who think I’ve overstayed and now refer to be Mugabe,” he joked.
In the recent past Rachier under whose tenure Gor rose from the woods after a 15-year period of lull and began to challenge for titles had indicated that he won’t “desert the club” but leave it in the care of capable hands.
Asked as to whether he still sticks to this school of thought, he opined: “I actually won’t say that I’ve picked somebody (to take over the leadership)but I do not want to leave chaos… I won’t campaign for somebody but I’ll look for means not to leave it in chaos… but eventually it will be members decision.”
Vilified and adored in equal measure, Rachier stint saw the club end their 18-year wait for a Kenyan Premier league title claiming the coveted gong in 2013 and have since gone on to monopolise the competition, winning it six times under his watch besides bagging two KPL Top Eight titles, a further four KPL Super Cups and two domestic cups.
Since then K’Ogalo have made appearances at the continental football every year bar in 2017, reaching the quarter fianls of the Caf Confederations Cup this term.
However critics point to his failure to lead the club in building its own stadium, training facility an a club house.
Either way, whichever one looks at it, his exit is set to be a hit below the belt for the glamour club with the much sought after financial freedom still a mirage.
Hearty Congrats GMFC for retaining the league title again.
So the longest serving chairman is set to leave office without ever achieving even a local double not to mention a treble, a regional or continental title.
However most worrying as he exits or if he exits office is and I quote
”He has however been criticised for a laissez-faire leadership style that has seen the club sink into debt, leading to the freezing of their accounts due to tax arrears.”
How much and whom does GMFC owe. ADOR please leave behind a clear picture of the club’s financial position e.g KRA’s 129M, hotel bills, players salaries / allowances etc.
We need clarity and a transparent & proper financial handover otherwise every Tom, Dick and Harry will be waving their pending bill(s) real or imagined at the new chairman who will be overwhelmed. This is probably what the “exiting” chair wants and is planning for!
Gor Mahia would have achieved and even surpassed its past glories during the last 11 years (local doubles, trebles, regional and continental titles) but sadly was stuck with a chairman who rode on the claim, which was true, the he was at least better the the last 3/4 chairmen he replaced. Why not measure or surpass the great chairmen who made it a habit of winning doubles, trebles regional and even a continental title to boot.
@Oduor12, which Chairman got us from 18 years without a league trophy to 6 league wins in 7 years? Who made Gor a force to reckon with in Africa? When did we last start beating the North African teams?
Let’s hope we now have a chance to get someone better than ADOR. He had his weaknesses and so does everyone else but his strengths are what we remember him for. Why would our opponents rejoice and say that our days of winning and winning are long gone? There must be something they feared about ADOR and are not sure we will have another one like him.
My prayer is that we get to see who your choice for Chairman is.
I also hope that this info does not destabilize the team as we move forward.
@Oduor12, welcome back with your belated congrats. The naked truth is that our Chairman ADOR has achieved what many chairmen could not achieve. If he is to defend his seat, I will vote for him again.
Let me tell you that ADOR is going nowhere until the club is turned into a limited liability company im the model of Simba and Yanga. I believe that he is the only one that can do it. Other people you have been fronting for the position of chairman are all smokescreens.
Let us give credit to where it is due and ADOR could be having some weaknesses but I think he has been the best chairman and a legend.
Let us show respect to ADOR.
We are grateful for his tenure….but let him stay away from transfer money…buying and selling of players…like 15million from Tuyisenge sell should be accounted for to the last coin
@Jonny, why do we think that ADOR gets his finances from Gor. I can assure you that Gor has no money to be ‘eaten’. The sponsorship money is not even enough to pay the wage bill and team operations. Most of Gor finances is through philanthropists who pay the local hotel and air travel as well as local operations.
Running a local team in Kenya , apart from the parastatals, know that you must be well-moneyed.
@Johnny, this is a #### and misplaced comment to the character of ADOR. Show me where is the money to be eaten in Gor Mahia. ADOR has been financing some of the activities of the club. I can assure you that if ADOR decides to go, Gor Mahia will follow the AFC Leopards path and forget about winning any of the trophies.
Running a club of Gor Mahia stature is not a walk in the park. You can’t run Gor Mahia with monthly salary and mark my words that it is not easy.
It is because of ##### fans like you that believe in free things, un-profounded gossips and wild allegations.
Below decribes your character that you do not pay gate charges, you do not go to stadium, you do not pay annual membership subscriptions, you do not buy club replica jerseys & merchandise and yet you are here with wild allegations of Gor Mahia monies. Did you sign Tuyisenge? Nonsense. Please wake up and think twice my friend before posting rubbish and nonsense.
Replacing Rachier will be a tall older. Most people get into club administration to gain popularity then join politics. Some get into club administration to get money or rich. Rachier is a financially stable man with his law firm being one of his main sources of income. Should anybody who has not made money for himself get the chairmanship after Rachier, his duty will be to loot the meagre resources of Gor Mahia and bring the club to its knees.
Thanks to ADOR for the services you gave to our club. Surely we are going to miss you my learned friend
@Oduor 12,I think Kogalo has a ready made chairman who takes over from Rachier.That Chairman is You.Get your troupes ready.Your wish has been granted.Under your able leadership Kogalo will not only Conquer Africa but will beat any European side in the World Club Championship tournament.I hope you aren’t gonna chicken out.Wish you the best out new “Chairman”.
Oduor 12, welcome back. Yes..after my fallout with ADOR last year, i will also be submitting my interest for that position come December. My 3 point manifesto shall follow shortly.
@jakoyo, just try your luck and let me assure you that if ADOR is to stand again, I will vote for him 1000 times because of what he has done.
Bring on yourself, Nyangi, Adede, Okech etc and they will fanguished by 8am in the morning.
@Johnny, this is a stupid and misplaced comment to the character of ADOR. Show me where is the money to be eaten in Gor Mahia. ADOR has been financing some of the activities of the club. I can assure you that if ADOR decides to go, Gor Mahia will follow the AFC Leopards path and forget about winning any of the trophies.
Running a club of Gor Mahia stature is not a walk in the park. You can’t run Gor Mahia with monthly salary and mark my words that it is not easy.
It is because of brainless fans like you that believe in free things, un-profounded gossips and wild allegations.
Below decribes your character that you do not pay gate charges, you do not go to stadium, you do not pay annual membership subscriptions, you do not buy club replica jerseys & merchandise and yet you are here with wild allegations of Gor Mahia monies. Did you sign Tuyisenge? Nonsense. Please wake up and think twice my friend before posting rubbish and nonsense.
On the issue of Rachier or on the issue of any matter that requires thinking , the conclusion you reach will depend on what organ you are using for reasoning , If you decide to judge Rachier using your heart , then most likely the conclusion you reach will be different from the one who has used his head because whereas the former is based on feelings/moods , the latter is driven by fact/data and in a mass movement like Gor Mahia fanbase that has within it intellectuals , dunderheads , urbanites , Villagers etc etc , opinions are bound to vary , but that as it may , and considering what is at stake , all must be done to ensure that the Emotional thinkers stay as far away as possible from where serious decisions concerning Gor are made .
Otherwise on a personal note I welcome @Jakoyo’s declaration for the top seat and the best I can do to him or indeed any other contender is to listen to what he/she has to offer without any prejudice and then use my head to make a choice .
Africans are ##### …Rachier is not immortal…what if God forbid he dies…who will fill the gap…Rachier has done a good job but whoever will come might even do a better job…don’t be scared of change ….you might lose something good but get something better…we cant cry all day eti Oooh Oooh. …let him go and rest …
A good legacy to remember; six kpl titles in the last seven years. No Kenyan club chairman has achieved that.However, transparency has been very low in Gor management. Yes, the club has insufficient income but why not make public every coin got from any source and its expenditure. It could attract more potential sponsors.A club with such achievement is a business brand which would make sponsors salivating and scrambling for every space on the players jersey.Mr. chairman you have scored low on this.Fifty years down the line,we are still beggars without even a training ground not to mention a football pitch.
Some days ago , I opined how easy it is pointing fingers from the outside and even profiling people as inept , incompetent , perpetual beggars , Mugabe etc but once inside the same or similar entity find out how cheap talk is and I gave the example of Moses Kuria a hitherto frequent philanthropist donor to Gor Mahia and an adent critic of Gor Management in equal measure.
Well the import of my example was that the philanthropist and donor to Gor Mahia eventually purchased his own club and the whole country waited with bated breathe to see how the theories would be translated to practice and in a club that is a fraction of Gor in all aspects , Six months going to seven , the players have been paid NOTHING , be it allowances, bonuses and most importantly salaries .
The other import of my example is that Rachier with all his imperfections is the MOST SUCCESSFUL CHAIRMAN in the country and when comparing Rachier and any other former boss of Gor Mahia , it is only fair to point out that while the former bosses took over an ascendant Gor Mahia , Rachier took over a Gor that had all the wheels off and was balancing on stones , in other words a Shell and to do that with Gor as currently constituted with all the mercenaries in the EC is a feat that must be contextualized while doing any appraisal , anything less than that is helpless feelings and misdirected anger , hatred which apart from massaging personal egos , does nothing in taking the club forward .
There will always be someone who sets a benchmark in life.
Rachier has done well in Gor, but it’s time to move on. I will not be surprised if the next office is shaky but let the new guys come in with new ideas, let them implement the ideas that Rachier et team also failed to implement. Eg We all know that when it comes to gate collections red flags were always being raised. Will the next office be able to conquer such issues?
Will the next office dismantle back door signings/selling of players?
Will we still hear of coaches claiming they were not aware of signings.
In other words Rachier team also failed in some areas. Gor can only improve when new managers come and are allowed to implement their ideas.
The best thing we can do and of great importance is to thoroughly vet the new team. We must avoid the Billionaire/goldseller/wash-wash characters. So all Gor fans, pls be ready with your vote(membership card) or forever be quite.
Otherwise I commend Rachier for what he has done at Gor. Wether he was the best chairman will always be debatable depending on who you ask.
Messi can be argued to be the best player in Argentina, but one problem, he will not be considered alongside Maradona simply cause he has never lifted the world cup. Rachier team never won any Africa silverware, so even if he wins the league 20 times, there are those who might chose to judge him with different parameters. Fans themselves are always fast in pointing (especially while silencing other EA clubs) out that Gor Mahia is a past winner in a caf competition.
Gor needs to move into the next chapter and this is conquering Africa, owning a stadia or being one of the top best paying clubs in Africa etc.
Rachier came to Gor Mahia when there was nothing, the team was being relegated all these claiming to love GOR now were nowhere near the team, when Tuzo came on board they started shouting about the money that was being eaten, they came close to the team because of sponsorship money, they don’t have GOR at heart, a change is always good, but let the chairman leave and lets be ready for drama that will follow
I appreciate the achievements of Gor over the years. 6 tittles in 7 years is a pretty good CV unfortunately you cannot do it anywhere else (AFC lacks that leadership). Your choice of coaches was excellent. You made it possible for players to come, thrive and leave. You broke the believe of many that Gor luo in the playing unit but could not do the same with the Fans. You brokered good deals with corporate sponsors and put in your own money (we did not know that – the lack of accountability and transparency mechanism will hurt you as well otherwise it would have been possible to refund you or acknowledge your financial contributions). It is good you will not be forced to discipline players for fighting for their rights now that you have decided to leave. The next chairman tasks is well cutout. forget about the bloggers masquerading as possible contenders – they are full time critics. What will be more amazing is whether the current office bearers will follow suit to give room for fresh talents. We know they were part of the winning team, but am not sure they were winners.
I am prepared for the next life of Gor Mahia – the reincarnation. The future is always bright. all the best
How many Chairmen in East Africa has won CAF Champions League?Jubilee government promised us 5 world class Stadiums.How many has it built?How much funds does the government control?
Guys just keep it short,simple and straight to the point. And yes it is damn true to the old wise sayings that indeed ” GOR MAHIA OSIKO TO OK SIKIE”. Why do we argue over nothing that warrants anyone to press the PANICKING button. “There will always be light at end of the tunnel. So bye bye @A.D.O.R and fare thee well to next incoming chair. The only opportunity available is to make it better. PERIOD.
Those who don’t appreciate the good work Ambrose Rachier did as Gor Mahia chairman should replace him in December when he leaves office and perform the miracles they believe Rachier did not perform. To Ambrose Rachier, remember the saying of wisemen (“Wahenga”)…….”Tenda wema nenda zako”
Congrats and thanks ADOR…God bless you for the good you did to the club…may you retire in peace. The Almighty reward you…you laid a good foundation for future success.
From here thank God you are putting structures in place to ensure stability in this great club.
Fans..let’s not fear or panic…the best is yet to come…remember positive energy at all times…it yields only GOOD!!!
Been up and about today about Gor Mahia issues and tonight I can sleep easy having confirmed that next season , Gor Mahia will be better , bigger and stronger within and without the country .
Today feels like the happiest day and I wish to join @nyar kopolo in giving thanks and praise to the lord .
I second you El genius…the fruits of change are sweet
Congrats Ador. You did a good job. Ensure you leave Kogalo with a new and better constitution. All the Best.
@teddy it’s not like you to be economical with information, tell us more