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Courtesy of EA Standard<\/p>\n
Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Gor Mahia and their sponsors Tuzo are pulling in different directions. At stake is a multi-million shilling sponsorship deal which threatens the survival of the premier club.<\/p>\n
The tug of war is as a result of claims of breach of contract by the sponsors who are accusing Gor Mahia of entering into a merchandising agreement with a local media house to sell replica jackets.<\/p>\n
Brookside Dairy General Manager in charge of sales and marketing Elias Ocholla said they have documentary\u00a0 evidence the club breached its contract with the firm.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere exists documented evidence that our sponsorship contract signed between Brookside Dairy and Gor Mahia has been subjected to well founded breaches, and that the existence of the said breaches has been acknowledged to us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He further said Gor have failed to address the concerns raised by the firm despite promising to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo tangible progress has been realised in these efforts over the past two months. We have tried to exercise patience with the club, as it is our conviction that matters affecting both parties can be resolved amicably,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He assured that Brookside Dairy are committed to the continuation of the sponsorship with Gor Mahia if the club ceases all promotions outside the ambit of the current contractual agreement with them.<\/p>\n
He took issue with the statement by Gor coach Zradvko Logarusic regarding the matter insisting that such matters should only be handled by club officials.<\/p>\n
\u201c We expect mutual goodwill at all times, and are of the opinion that administrative issues affecting both parties should henceforth be handled only by officials with management mandate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
But Gor Mahia secretary George Bwana denied that the club breached any agreement with Tuzo insisting the contract only bars them from associating with a milk processing firm \u2013 a direct competitor of their sponsors.<\/p>\n
When our sponsors raised the issue, we made frantic efforts to meet them and explain why we accepted the new deal. After that meeting it was resolved that we write to the media house and ask them to stop the promotion on jackets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis meeting also agreed that upon writing the same letter which we did, our sponsors would release the salaries but this is yet to happen and it appears they are playing games with us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe assumed that Tuzo would be happy to partner with a media house to promote the team especially considering that the money we get from them is not even enough to cater for all our needs,\u201d said Bwana.<\/p>\n
Gor Mahia vice-chairman Faiz Ochieng admitted that the club was wrong by entering into a merchandising deal without the approval of the current sponsor and revealed that it has been cancelled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are grateful for the support we have received from them and we cannot throw it away for something that is just temporary,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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