Reports of unrest in Gor Mahia EC
This is an exposee by the Daily Nation
Gor Mahia football club is on a roll. It has seen successes in the recent past and won the league title back to back.
This season, the club has already chalked up eight wins and two draws as well as maintaining their unbeaten run.
This success may make one feel that all is rosy at the club; that would be far from the truth since beneath the aura of achievement; the veneer of peace; the coating of respectability… beneath it all there is an untold tale of a ferocious supremacy contest within the club’s executive committee, which is threatening to derail the club’s campaign.
So vicious are the wars that long-serving chairman Ambrose Rachier threatened to resign a fortnight ago. An investigation by Daily Nation Sport has unearthed differences in opinion between various camps of the committee on how the club’s finances should be managed.
There are two sets of protagonists in this contest; those who want the club to streamline its operations and have the finances accounted for.
On the other hand, there is a posse that roots for the retention of the status quo — allowing the centre to continue calling the shots. It is this porous system that has made the club lose millions of shillings in gate collections through pilferage at a time when it struggles to make ends meet without a shirt sponsor.
It’s these differences that led to the resignation threats by Rachier. In a text message copied to members of the executive committee, and which Daily Nation Sport has seen, Rachier said: “There is no point my continuing to be your chairman if committee decisions can be flouted as happened today (in home match against Sofapaka on April 19) in gate collections. I will advise my decision by Monday.”
A member of the executive committee, who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, said that whereas other EC members had advised that all net gate collections be channelled to the club’s bank account and reports tabled in meetings, Rachier was adamant that he receives the net collections from the ticketing firm Earth View as he has been paying the players from his own coffers.
“What we are having are supremacy contests because gate collections are not being accounted for. The chairman does insist that he receives the cash on the ground that he runs the club from his own resources,” said the source.
WERE CONFISCATED
The simmering tension at the glamour club, which has ironically failed to attract a shirt sponsor despite boasting a huge fan base and rich history, exploded on April 19 when K’Ogalo tackled Sofapaka at the City Stadium.
During the game, four ticket booklets without stamps and club seals were confiscated, confirming the long held fears that there has been pilferage at the gate.
When he resigned from the club under unclear circumstances in January, former secretary-general Chris Omondi pointed to the pilferage as one of the reasons behind his exit and the lack of goodwill from the committee to professionalise the running of the club.
“It is sad that some members of the executive committee see Gor Mahia as a cash cow,” he lamented in an interview with Daily Nation Sport. When contacted, Rachier vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that he has always rooted for professionalism.
“It is (the allegation) convoluted and I expected it. I’m not surprised. My stand is on professionalising gate collections and putting it firmly in the hands of a qualified firm.
“That is what I stand for and have stood for all the years. I have tried Wells Fargo and now Earth View but this does not go well with people who want to take the gate collections. I will gain nothing by putting money in my hands; because at the end of the day, the buck stops with me. I get very furious when funds are not being accounted for.”
He added: “I know what I have done for the club and would want to leave it at that. This is an internal matter and we are going to decide the way forward.”
Rachier said that on April 19, he was handed Sh347,000 as net collections but declined to take the cash as it had been collected by “unauthorised people”.
“Earth View were thrown out, some people went ahead to collect the money, and attempted to pay me the balance, which I declined to take.”
Gor have been without a shirt sponsor since March last year when Tuzo pulled the plug on their three-year sponsorship package.
Gentlemen, someone kindly list down the names of all these EC members down here,
OKWABISECHO, Their days are gone
Somebody list all officials down here, please.
I blame the fans ;take charge of my gormahia … Some of the things I miss about home is our home matches …. Why can’t the fans thru branches sack the entire EC spare the chairman ….appoint interim committee of three from inter -branches to steer us
Give ticketing work to a good firm like caps they do a good job at the airport
Now it is clear things are not rosy at all at my beloved Kogalo. Gor Mahia, jaduong wake up from the grave and gobble up all these eaters, they are themselves devouring your beloved boys who have dedicated themselves to play attractive football and win trophies in your name, but on empty stomachs. Don’t sleep there in Kanyamwa, come on ,scatter them to the far corners of this earth.
Honorable Chairman,you are a respected professional, for how long are you going to accommodate thieving and dishonest members of the EC? During the June recess, just call a special general meeting and we do the right thing, membership drive then elections. I will personally reelect you at any time, unless you are tired yourself. Lets put in office a lean clean team of professionally minded people whose bent will not be to eat with their mouths open and vomit on our shoes as club playing unit go hungry. Send them home.
I need a list of these people put down here for us to judge….starting with Ngala
How do you know Ngala is the problem?
Wacha watu wakule, wakule, wakule kabisa hadi tumbo ipasuke na Kogallo ifilisike. if you can’t beat them join them , Kula , Kula , Kula kabisa !!!!
After all, is that what our society has degenerated into …..’me and my stomach ‘ even the politicians and leaders do it on a grand scale. at Kogallo, this is small time ‘eating’.
Its a pity, a pity for us to admit/believe that if we professionalise the club or even have that ‘ infamous SACCO talk ‘ things will change…so who is this angel who isn’t corrupt ?
The reality of this matter is simple, make it difficult for people with no tickets/fake tickets to access the match stadium. infact such people should not be idling around the gates in the first place. surely, with all the brains around EC, is that rocket science ???
For me like somebody said’ I am NOT worried about nothing’ …….I have simply resorted to sofaset branch and let nobody try to convince me otherwise.
The most notorious ones are Ngala, Amina and Kiilo.
These three should never seek re election.
As much as I support the EC chairman,I find this article full of contradictions and actually paints Rachier as part of the problem rather than the solution.
1. Rachier is reported to as having the desire to re-collect ‘his money’ from the Gor gate collections.
2. Some strange third force has elbowed the chosen firm Earth view from the gate.
What can one decipher from this;
1. The EC cannot come up with a way to let the Chairman recover his money.
2. Was this money lent to Gor Mahia a gentlemans agreement.
3. What is the amount?
Long story short, Racheir needs to recover his money.
1. Let the EC and Chairman come out as to who has been bankrolling Gor Mahia?
2. Let the amount that Rachier has lent the club be known.
3. Let this money be audited and acknowledged in the Gor Balance sheet.
4. Send all Gor collections to the Clubs account.
5. Put proper modalities on how the Chairman can be paid back his money.
What is happening now is all mess and this is why I use the term contradictions.
1. Team-Rachier wants his money back but seems to want to collect or deduct his money directly from the gate collections.
2. Team- B wants the money to go to the club coffers.
3. Team C collects or takes the money and chases away the Earth view from collecting the money.
Basically Gor management is a tower of babel.
1. The Chairman clearly has no authority over the EC.
2. The cartel that is raping Gor seems to be in charge!
So who are these faceless ppl in Gor that can even chase away Earth view.
secondly why is Earth view silent in all this matter? Who was collecting moneyon their behalf or who chased them away? Didn’t Earth View sign a contract?
Wolololololoooooo, its now exploding, this is not the work of alshaabab. The EC time is up, to the fans time to stand up.
Its really sad but the truth is coming out despite the fans closing their eyes to the obvious truth.Gor has been suffering from acute on chronic illness and unless the FANS act…the club shall sink.time is ripe for hostile take over ..Lets corner the officials in one of the home games and demand an AGM to force this goons fleecing the club and players their hard earned money.Lets not forget that most KPL clubs now have shirt sponsor even some have 2 but Gor has none.Whose is benefiting from the status quo?Otherwise the soap opera continues.
Why the lover of K’Ogalo keep queit when some indivutuals are Driving expensive Cars even their Spouses. Fans should not wait for Election, it means they will keep on ” EATING ” till election is called, while Players are being Rained in the Field,get Injured but somebody somewhere is pocketing the Money. NO! NO! NO!, Fans must take action against this Indivituals. HAKUNA YA KUNGOJA ELECTION, THEY MUST PACK UP AND GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is very unfortunate that things are happening now. Success attracts all sorts of interests some to bring down while others to propel. My take however is action must be taken now for continuity. As pointed out the expose is contradictory on the chairman. Before we can bay for one’s blood we need to understand what the real situation is. If it is true that big cars are being driven at the expense of the club then action must be taken now. If the bone of contention is the collection and usage of the money, then get the professional collectors and disburse-rs to manage that department.
action needs to be taken immediately if not soon fans are blinded by team success on the pitch forgetting these EC official dirt tricks .Gentlemen the time to save kogallo is NOW .
What is professional in getting the organization’s money into your personal account?
What is the disagreement about if the composition of the EC is or was influenced by the same person?
Is GM bankrolled by the Chair? Really, then for how long and how much is owing to him?
This explains why the club officials are not interested in transparency. I even heard that sponsors were unwilling because of such issues. The problem I have with these officials including that Omondi fellow who quit is that they do not name names. If you know who is eating then come forward and name names so they can be flushed out for the sake of the club.
Abondo apologises over foul
Kenyan Premier League’s top scorer Victor Ali Abondo has issued an apology for the stamp on Western Stima’s striker Ronald Okoth in Sunday on Kisumu.
Ali alluded to the fact that it was not as many pundits have indicated saying it was “that football moment ” when he was trying to win the ball from his opponent.
“I want to apologize for the tackle on Okoth which was not intentional and even after the match I was with him and he completely understood as a footballer such moments occur. I believe in discipline and fair play and my objective has always been to work hard and win all the balls fairly. However the sentiments from some pundits have been discouraging as it has been blown out of proportion,” Ali said.
On his part Okoth was surprised by the hullabaloo about the incident.
“I am surprised to hear different sentiments. Ali Abondo is a good friend of mine and he cannot injure me intentionally as some people are trying to purport. He just lost control and I was with him after the game and we laughed over the incidence,” Okoth told supersport.com.
Abondo has been in superb form for his club Gor Mahia and is currently the top scorer with seven goals to his name.
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I hope those like Chiko Lawi who made a mountain out of it will also publish this apology
I don’t undescended why Chiko Law, Ghost, Gilbert etc are always biased against Gor. Can’t Supers ports employ more neutral presentor not ex -coaches from rival teams.
Whatever Chiko Lawi and his Panerlist is doing about K’Ogalo is just jealersy nothing else, its not GM players who is stopping AFC, to perform. Other players from other Clubs does these things but their act doesnt come subject of discussion in Chiko Lawi Programs. For example when AFC, were playing against Western Stima on the same vanue,Chiko didn’t discuss Edwin Wafula, who was testing the Leg of WS player as post to jump the otherside of the Gate. Chiko Lawi should know that he is employed by SS, to bring the real pictures of the games,not to critisize only one Team all the time. SHAME!!. Now Dan Ssserekuma is free why dont they go for him because anything from GM.is an Angel to them!
Very funny indeed ati Earth View vs Wells Fargo. Who has ever heard of this Earth View?
Secondly this is Gor Mahia FC not Rachier Babes FC.
WHY SHOULD THE NET GATE COLLECTIONS BE GIVEN TO YOU IN CASH WHY NOT A BY CHEQUE. PROPER ACCOUNTABILITY AND STRUCTURES, FINANCIAL RECORDS WILL CLEARLY SHOW HOW MUCH THE CHAIR IS OWED, HOW MUCH KRA IS OWED BUT NAY CHAIR/EC WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT ANNUAL GATE COLLECTIONS ARE A PALTRY KSHS.9M.
RESIGN I SAY FISH ROTS FROM THE TOP.