Why 98th Mashemeji Derby has been postponed to December

Referees involved in a confrontation betweent Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards players during a past Mashemeji Derby at the Nyayo National Stadium. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Thousands of Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have been dealt a blow after the postponement of the 98th Mashemeji Derby that had been set for this weekend.

The derby, initially scheduled for Sunday, before being moved a day earlier to Saturday, has now been pushed to December 7 following fresh logistical complications due to venue unavailability.

Gor took to social media to announce the postponement, urging the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to find a solution for a later date.

"The highly anticipated derby match that was set for this weekend postponed due to unavailability of venue; new date to be communicated in the coming days," Gor posted on their official social media pages.

According to the earlier schedules, the derby was set to be played on November 30, this Sunday at Kasarani Stadium.

However, with the qualification of Nairobi United to the CAF Confederation Cup, the venue was handed to the newbies who will host AS Maniema Union of DR Congo in their second group-stage assignment.

Under CAF regulations, continental matches take precedence over local fixtures, forcing Gor Mahia to urgently seek an alternative ground, ultimately leading them to Nyayo.

Ironically, Nyayo Stadium has also been deemed inaccessible due to a government event scheduled for Monday next week with preparations set to begin on Saturday, the same date Gor had set for the derby.

The facility will host a national state function ahead of the World AIDS Day Commemorative Event, rendering Nyayo Stadium off-limits for sporting competitions over the weekend.

This marks the third time this year that the fixture has faced scheduling issues, reinforcing a growing concern about the state of sports infrastructure in Kenya.

In the previous season, the fixture was postponed twice.

The first postponement came on March 2 and again on May 11, both delays resulting from the unavailability of Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums, which were undergoing renovation works ahead of the 2024 CHAN tournament held in August.

"The rescheduled Derby will be played on Sunday, 7th December 2025 at Nyayo Stadium," said Gor.