Right of reply
By Paul Obonyo
Courtesy of futaa.com
I have read with lots of displeasure, an earlier article in regards to the Gor Mahia vs Sony Sugar Kenyan Premier Leaguematch at the City Stadium over the weekend, where there was revenue loss during the match, which according to the writer was due to my negligence.
According to the writer, by removing the police horses from the position where tickets were being sold I single handedly caused the havoc that reigned afterwards.
I would categorically like to say that the horses in question were being stoned by impatient fans who were waiting to get into the stadium and due to the suffering that was being inflicted to them, I feared for the kind of reaction the animals would have had, had they retaliated, which could even have caused a stampede and mayhem at the scene.
Despite my action, I would like to add that there was in no way cause of ticketing revenue, as most of those who made their way into the stadium were paid up spectators and the revenue loss was not as the likes of the purposed writer would like to exaggerate.
Tickets should not be sold at the Stadium
And in the event that it did, I wonder why he chose this forum, whereas there are laid down procedures in which he could have used?
In my opinion and with experience in handling crowds, I would like to say that the fact that the tickets were being sold at the stadium was the main cause of the mayhem and if anything, I would still recommend that ticket sales be done elsewhere, if possible, far from the stadium.
I feel that this is vendetta from the writer who must be from the system that steals money from the club, if the collections during Gor Mahia vs Western Stima clash in May are to go by (Ksh 624,000 was collected), what does this mean?
Simple mathematics says that only 1248 fans watched the match from the center stand and paid Ksh 500 each, way before we could analyze how many people from the Russia side of the stadium paid to watch the match leaves a lot to be desired.
I am not here to throw stones but to ask for accountability from all sectors and avoid laying blame in the aftermath of such problems.
How about you put your house in order!!the disorganization was there for all to see.What is so hard in organizing a more efficient and transparent ticket selling system and free flow entry into the stadium??the major concern should be the spectators safety and well being!!!
AS I read the commentary yesterday by the ticket masters or somebody who was responsible at the gate,I could not help but wonder how the match of that magnitude could not have proper organisation at such a time when we are real contenders for the title and just came after we had beaten Ulinzi in the same venue.The Organisers.should have aticipated the large nos of fans and tickets should have been released earlier to avoid such mess.Let it not repeat again we realy sacrifice for the club to move foward
I witnessed the loss of revenue due to recycled tickets !
PAUL: YOUR STATEMENT RAISE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
Hi Paul,
I must thank you for coming out to set the record straight. I wish also to thank you and all the persons involved to ensure our safety in and out of the stadium is upto the required standard.
However, i don’t think you have overstepped your mandate to ‘misdirect’ the police on horseback. The police have been trained to handle such chaotic situations and only takes orders from their seniors.
The same case applies to Ticket Masters, the agents contracted by Gor Mahia to sell and verify tickets. They are professionals who should be allowed to plan and execute their mandate without undue influence. The club should have forwarded the tickets well in advance without causing unecessary inconveniences.
It is not right on your part to start throwing accusing fingers to Nkaari K of TM. Instead you should help to end the problem once and for all. What I can assure you comrade Paul is that, as fans, we cannot allow anyone of you to play around with our security. We shall hold each of you accountable for any deaths that will occur in future due to your lip service to duty.
EC printing tickets is tantamount to ( a deliberate loophole for) the EC stealing match collections.
Consider the following:
None other than the S.G Bwana is on record that match ticketing & security services were advertised, tendered for and suppliers chosen. The following are the companies that tendered for GMFC’s ticketing and match security services as per the tender ceremony on 09/02/2012.
a)G4S Security Services-4 Both ticketing & security service
b)BM Security-4 Both ticketing & security service
c)Ticket Master-4 Ticketing services
d)Easy Electronic Ticketing-4 Ticketing services
So who is this XXXXX that the EC is now engaging. Why bypass the above reputable firms and opt for a dubious individual, thereby risking fans lives.
As per TM, GMFC (read EC) is now printing tickets for matches. The only purported security feature on these tickets is the GMFC stamp at the back. No doubt you’ve all noted that EC’s tickets are plain and more easily forgeable compared to those that used to be printed by TM.
Controls have been eliminated (deliberately by the EC) coz unlike b4 when (1) TM used to print the tickets then (2) hand over the tickets to GMFC for stamping (3) GMFC would then hand back the stamped tickets to TM for sale, thereby eliminating the chance of TM selling “unstamped/fake” tickets.(4) On entry TM/GMFC stewards would be on hand to ensure that only genuine ticket holders entered the stadium. GMFC stewards checking that all tickets are duly stamped.
WITH EC PRINTING MATCH TICKETS YOU CAN BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR THAT EC IS PRINTING EXTRA TICKETS WHICH ARE PROBABLY BEING SOLD AT A CHEAPER RATE IN THE BLACK MARKET. THIS IS EXPLAINED BY THE OVERCROWDING (ESPECIALLY THE VIP SECTION) AT THE STADIA AND THE MOVE BY THE EC TO OPT FOR THE SERVICES OF XXX AND THE STEWARDS. THEY ARE PROBABLY THE ONES SELLING THESE EXTRA TICKETS WHICH IS WHY THE EC OFFICIAL PROTECTS THEM AGAINST THE POLICE AND TM COMPLAINTS.
THERE IS THIS FALLACY THAT FANS DO NOT DO ENOUGH FOR THE CLUB. THAT’S A BIG LIE AS FANS ATTEND MATCHES IN DROVES ONLY FOR UNSCRUPULOUS OFFICIALS TO SWINDLE FUNDS MEANT FOR THE PLAYERS/ BENCH AND THE CLUB DEVELOPMENT. THE IS NO BRANCH THAT CAN RIASE FOR GMFC KSHS.1.6M (LEAVE ALONE THE KSHS.0.6M LOST ON 9TH) IN AN AFTERNOON.
THE TEAM/ BENCH HAVE DONE THEIR BIT BY PLAYING GOOD SOCCER, THE FANS HAVE RESPONDED BY COMING BACK IN DROVES BUT THE EC SEES THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EAT AND DESTROY THE CHANCE WINNING THE LEAGUE /MAKING GMFC THE BEST CLUB IN THE WORLD.
THE S.G RECENTLY WENT PUBLIC THAT RUNNING A CLUB IS AN EXPENSIVE AFFAIR, I SAY NAY BUT FILLING THE EC’s STOMACHES CERTAINTLY IS.
Let’s offer solutions as we all know that there is something wrong in the way the match was handled. Unless we go professional by outsourcing some of these services to the best companies we are yet to see the worse. The reason I’m saying this is that we don’t look at the qualifications of the EC members as we vote. Who checks if any of them has experience in finance, crowd control, business development? Nobody does that yet we have the best brains supporting the club. Maybe we could amend our constitution to enable such followers to contribute their services without the EC feeling threatened
That aside, let us agree the match was handled unprofessionally. Secondly, I agree you had a noble idea about the horses and stampeded but then does it mean the police are not in control?
Ndugu Paul Obonyo with all due respect, I put it to you that your explanation has only confirmed Nkaari and Ticket Masters’ sentiments.
I am curious to know how you landed that ‘job’ of handling security issues. Perhaps you should have included that information in your ‘right of reply’.
I congratulate you for identifying with Gor Mahia and I respect you as one of us. Your commissions or ommissions have, however, put you in some very bad light.
You are priviledged to be in that position, please use it to bring positive change in Gor Mahia if you really love this team.
At no time should you salivate for any money meant for GM; money that honest, hard working fans have sweated to earn. Please refuse any such temptation. If you do salivate I assure that saliva may choke you to the next world. May God touch you.
In tandem with the logs’ directive to give his players a five day rest day,i also took the five days rest in solidarity with the players and the log.
Only problem is that i took the ,’sabbatical’ without sharing with fellow bloggers the declartion i had promised to make if gor could beat ulnzi and sony.
Fellow bloggers,this is my declaration to you.
I ARRUMTIDDI,DOESNT’ KNOW WHICH OF THE 16 TEAMS WILL WIN THE 2012 TUSKER PREMIER LEAGUE,BUT I KNOW THAT,
THAT TEAM WILL NOT BE AFC LEOPARDS!
THANK YOU.
Bro Paul your right to reply is worse than keeping quite because it now brings your personal attributes to question. Pls reply me too Q1. How can we verify that those whom gate crushed were fully paid up yet no ticket authentification was done at the point of entry? Q2. Who authorised the sale of previous match tickets? Q3. Who brought the previous matches to stadium? Was u team malice pre-empt reaping from this thats why u organised carrying the tickets to the stadium? To the EC simple common sense on accountability requires that all used and unused accounting documents especially those used to collect revenue should be kept under lock and key in fire proof safes delegate to one trusted officer, who carry out this function in the EC? Q4. Mr. Paul, who are u to issue orders to police, sympathis with state assets deployed use on duty? Pls take ur sympathy to TANA DELTA if not ur family because as Bare Bandit puts it the saliva will chock u to the next world. “Chamo gir wiye kelo lania kod mifuadhi ne in nyaka e odi, kari biro ran.” to the EC, pls note that we are on the final stretch of the TPL where all concentration and efforts should be maintaining our un beaten run by winning min. 95% of the remaining matches and snatch it off from ingwe’s plate just before they insert into their mouth so clean the house, maximise the revenue, eliminate bhang smokers and cohesively motivate the team.
@Arrumtiddi I realise how wrong my hunch was! Your declaration, however, is very accurate. Just look at Ogwang’s line-up against Western Stima today. It clearly exposes a team in panic; a team whose mind is more in avoiding a loss on 23rd. That explains why Masika, Bageya, Abbas Kwalabiye and Mike Baraza are rested.
Men don’t cry, but when a man like Nahimana literally sheds tears in the pitch then he must be suffering alot of pain from being electrocuted. Their undoing is that they were focusing more on their date with the stealthy hunter on 23rd.
Badly beaten,but still believe in God.i’m on my way back to the city.
The next best thing in soccer after a K’galo win is an Ingwe loss especially hii ya leo.Well done W.S. Gor Biroooo and the cat has panicked big time!Safe journey Omusala si uuhame tuu!
Now Paul Obonyo- Please note that the horses in question are actually trained police officers.These 4 legged officers together with their seniors are actually specifically trained on handling crowds at official state functions.I believe that you are very well aware of this but were still driven by sinister motives.
It is also a shame for the senior police officer to have complied with an “order” from an civilian like Obonyo instead of taking control over a potentially explosive situation.
I have always questioned and will continue to question the Kenya Police’s disinterest in the safety of GMFC’s fans.
Bwana Paul, what kind of a world are you living in? The bottom line is you failed in your duty and as such should be sacked or resign. But then this is Africa/Kenya where at time ineptitude is rewarded and hard work goes unnoticed. You people know about the gate collection problems since time immemorial. Why don’t you guys sit down and come up with modalities to ensure that only those who pay enter into the stadium? Is this so difficult? The key issue here is crowd control. At what time should the gates be opened. Some fans might prefer to come hours earlier and book their favorite spots. The other thing that should be pursued by the football stalwarts and stadium stewards in Kenya (especially for Nyayo and Kasarani) is that all seats should be numbered and tickets should have seat numbers in them. This is a more effective way to nip in the bud the issue of “underhand deals”.
Finally Mr. Obonyo do you go to sleep peacefully at night knowing very well that some shady deals took place and the club lost revenue? If you do then you are not the man for the job. No matter how much excuse you give you failed in your duties and you should shoulder the blame. Excuses are always a clear statement of failure to perform duties.
@Omusala, pole but that is football. Just some ‘observation’ as a shemeji. Ingwee have not been playing well of late and have really been struggling. You cannot rely on motivation from EK and Mumias forever. Human beings will look for something else which is lacking in your team currently. Is Koops a good coach or a motivator? That’s for you to think. Your defense, especially goalkeeping wich was your main fort is now the weakest link. The pressure has now gone into the fans and the chaos in Nakuru was uncalled for. The league is still open but for us it’s ONE GAME AT A TIME. At this rate don’t be surprised if you finished at the bottom of the chasing pack.
@Okoth jabillo has truly been,(in the words of one kosgey),’findicated’.And so will arrumtiddi after a couple of matches ahead!
Bwana wachani kuiba pesa za club.mtalipa ngojenitu.tutawapata
Comrade Omusala it was a sad day but this is football. Ingwe lives to fight another day. Just as I hate violence, let fans have peaceful protests but not beating everyone on site.
We can recall when your chairman alluded that the ingwe fans have been taught and abhor violence when after the clash between Gor and AFC. He even called for Gor to be banned and expelled from the log. Now can he repeat the same call?
I have noted that Gor and AFC have the same problems and Magelo made a big mistake, we at Gor Mahia equally have the same problems but it is my prayer that fans from both sides can learn to make peaceful protests and be tolerant.
i feel this paul obonyo is just another busy body which is not needed at kogallo now let us not give him any forum to raise his no profile he is no security expert so why give him a forum to tell us the obvious