Gor Mahia chairman cries foul over standards of FKF Premier League officiating
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 22.04.26. | 11:54
At the centre of the storm was last weekend’s dramatic encounter against Bandari FC, where referee Phanuel Omire initially awarded Gor Mahia a late penalty after Shariff Musa was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box with just four minutes remaining
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has launched a scathing critique of officiating standards in the FKF Premier League, expressing deep concern over what he termed as inconsistent and questionable refereeing decisions at a decisive stage of the season.
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Speaking during a press briefing, the seasoned football administrator did not hold back, pointing to a series of contentious incidents that have left the record Kenyan champions feeling aggrieved in their pursuit of the league title.
At the centre of the storm was last weekend’s dramatic encounter against Bandari FC, where referee Phanuel Omire initially awarded Gor Mahia a late penalty after Shariff Musa was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box with just four minutes remaining.
However, in a stunning turn of events, the decision was overturned following protests from Bandari FC players, an outcome that sparked outrage within the Gor Mahia camp.
The incident compounded frustrations stemming from an earlier controversy in their narrow 1-0 defeat to Tusker FC. In that match, Patrick Essombe appeared to have been fouled by Servyl Akouala inside the penalty area, only for referee Edwin Bobiya to wave play on, a decision that drew sharp criticism from the Gor Mahia technical bench.
Rachier, however, was keen to stress that his concerns transcend club interests, framing the issue as one that affects the integrity of the entire league.
“I’m not speaking as Gor Mahia chairman, but as a stakeholder in the game. Are we truly satisfied with the level of officiating in our league?” he posed.
“There have been questionable decisions at a very critical point of the season. Justice must prevail—not just for Gor Mahia, but for every team in the league. We are not asking for favours, only that the rules are applied fairly.”
With just six matches left to conclude the campaign, the stakes could not be higher.
K'Ogalo currently sit atop the standings with 58 points, holding a slender three-point advantage over fierce rivals AFC Leopards in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested title race.
Beyond officiating, Rachier also turned his attention to the highly anticipated 99th Mashemeji Derby, urging match organisers to reconsider ticket pricing in light of the prevailing economic climate.
“Let’s make ticketing affordable to attract more fans. Looking at the current state of the economy, it is not very favourable,” he noted.
“We do not have the power to decide how our opponents price their tickets, but we can only appeal to them to consider the fans’ concerns.”
Ahead of the blockbuster clash, AFC Leopards have set ticket prices at Ksh500 for regular entry and Ksh2,000 for VIP.