By David Ndolo
Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has finally commented on the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) ruling regarding the club’s abandoned league match against Nairobi United, which was discontinued in December following crowd trouble.
The match, played at Dandora Stadium, was level at 1–1 when it was halted in the 72nd minute after violence broke out among fans.
What Happened During the Match
Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia had taken the lead just before halftime through Ebenezer Adu-Kwaw. Nairobi United responded in the 59th minute when Ovella Ochieng found the net, triggering wild celebrations among the home supporters.
Moments later, chaos erupted as fans from both sides clashed, breaching designated neutral zones. Security personnel struggled to restore order, prompting the referee to deem the pitch unsafe for continuation and abandon the match.
Following deliberations, FKF upheld the 1–1 scoreline at the time of abandonment as the official result. Issues relating to fan misconduct and behavioural violations were referred to the FKF Disciplinary Committee for further investigation and possible sanctions.
Akonnor’s Evasive Response
Speaking after Gor Mahia’s 3–0 victory over Sofapaka, Akonnor chose his words carefully, avoiding direct criticism of the ruling.
“I don’t really want to make comments on that, but what are the rules saying? For us, we look at the rules and the parameters involved when such incidents happen,” Akonnor said.
“I believe the decision was made in good faith. We accept it and move on.”
The former Ghana national team coach acknowledged that while opinions may differ, respect for the governing body’s authority was paramount.
“If you go back and check the rules and the decision they made, that’s it. At the end of the day, if the authority makes a decision based on the rules, you have to accept it.”
“You and I might have different opinions, but the rules are the rules.”
When asked whether he was satisfied with settling for a point, Akonnor insisted that challenging the verdict would serve little purpose.
“The federation controls the decisions, not us. We all have our opinions, but once the final decision is made, you move on.”
FKF’s Position on Abandoned Matches
FKF stated that the ruling was made in accordance with Rule 67, Article 4, which governs matches abandoned due to force majeure.
According to the regulation, if a match is stopped because of circumstances beyond reasonable control—such as severe weather or uncontrollable crowd trouble—it should ideally resume the same day or the following day if possible. However, where resumption is not feasible, FKF may uphold the result at the time of abandonment.
Impact on the League Standings
The ruling allowed Gor Mahia to maintain their position at the top of the table with 37 points ahead of their match against Sofapaka, which they won convincingly.
K’Ogalo now lead the league on 40 points, having played one more match than second-placed AFC Leopards, who are on 36 points.
