Disunity between Gor Mahia Executive Committee is drawing more concern and fans are more worried about what is going on.
Just hours after the team agreed to assent to FKF media and broadcast agreement with StarTimes through the club’s Secretary General office, Gor chairman Ambrose Rachier denounced the signed document further suspending the club SG Sam Ocholla.
“Disciplinary action has been taken against the errant Secretary General and I have already briefed the club patron Hon Raila Amolo Odinga of these happenings. We have suspended the SG pending further disciplinary action. As a lawyer, I believe in the right to be heard. We will hear him before we take any more drastic action,” Rachier states in his press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.
But Ocholla’s suspension is likely to open more problems as his mandate as the Secretary-General gives him powers to roll is duties and sign on behalf of the club members who elected him unopposed.
The club has maintained that it knows its rights and it will not sign any document surrendering thoses rights to FKF.
But according to FKF President Nick Mwendwa, the disputed letter received by FKF remains valid. The FKF boss insists that the letter signed by Ocholla is legitimate and will move ahead with it to allow StarTimes to film Gor Mahia matches.
“The legally elected Secretary General wrote us an endorsement letter and we have forwarded the same to StarTimes. Whatever they (Gor) are now saying, we don’t understand. What we know is we have a consent from the club and that is what we are going with.” Mwenda explained to Capital FM.
On his sire, Gor Mahia Chairman stated that the Federation does not have Locus Standi to sign any broadcast agreement on behalf of the clubs, saying this is the sole responsibility of each of the 18 Kenyan Premier League teams.
“Article 81 of the FKF constitution does not confer such rights to the Federation over the broadcast rights of any club. It is for this reason that FKF has been cajoling, coercing and blackmailing KPL clubs into endorsing such rights to StarTimes,” Rachier said.
“We are not ignorant to sign documents we have not had sight of,” Rachier added.
K’Ogalo fans are left wondering whether the infighting will yield to any good outcome, both in the field and management. The team is scheduled for a CAF Championship League battle against APR of Rwanda to be held in Kigali this coming weekend.