Kidero: I have no powers to ban Gor, AFC from Nairobi

Tear-gas smoke engulfs an emergency ambulance as fans of Gor Mahia FC and AFC Leopards clash with police at the Nyayo National stadium on August 23, 2015. [Photo: Dennis Okeyo/Standard]

Nairobi, Kenya: Governor Evans Kidero has issued a statement correcting an earlier one saying he has no capacity to immediately ban Gor Mahia and AFC clubs from playing in the city’s stadia with effect. He however, maintains that a ban is being considered.

Kidero said the county lost property valued at millions of shillings in the chaos that broke out in a match between the two clubs at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Kidero had earlier sent a statement saying he had banned the two clubs from city stadia but rescinded it saying he had no capacity to do so immediately. He said the banning issue was being considered.

The governor also demanded compensation from organizers of the Kenya Premier League game after hundreds of fans stormed into the streets destroying property and uprooting trees along Uhuru highway.

The 78th edition of the Mashemeji Derby was called off on the 65th minute after AFC Leopards fans became violent following a penalty decision by center referee Raphael Nduati.

AFC Leopards defender Jackson Saleh rose to head a long cross from the left by Abouba Sibomana but missed the interception only to handle the ball inside his goal area.

During the riots, police had to use teargas to disperse the mob that was also destroying public infrastructure.

A police officer is among those who were injured in the chaos that broke out after Gor Mahia had been awarded a penalty.

This angered AFC fans who started to riot and throw stones into the pitch.

Football Kenya Federation condemned the chaos witnessed in the match, which usually draws the biggest crowds in terms of fans.

It said it was waiting a report from KPL as we ascertain the next course of action as it blamed incompetence for the mess.

The federation seemed to blame Gor Mahia saying they had requested the home club and KPL to inform them of their security plans on August 19 ahead of the match in vain.

 “However the League organizers KPL and the home team never responded to our letters and adamantly never invited us for any pre-event security meeting as required,” said FKF in a statement.

The statement said FKF issued out their recommended guidelines that are standard procedure during such a high risk encounter.

 “We also wish to point out that on match day there was a serious security lapse due to the very few police officers present and also the serious breach by the organizers by not frisking fans entering the stadium.”

No buffer zone was created as per the recommendation of the governing body and both clubs stewards engaged in fights inside the perimeter fence, said the statement.

The aftermath of the mayhem left scores of innocent fans, journalists and law enforcement officers injured and property damaged.

Two weeks ago, at least two vehicles were burnt in Nairobi’s central business district and one person injured following skirmishes between city county askaris, hawkers and Gor Mahia football fans.

The confrontation happened along Moi Avenue near the Kencom bus stop after the rowdy crowd turned violent and stoned a city county pickup that they encountered on their way.

The fans had marched to City Hall earlier on to protest an incident in which one of them was allegedly hit and injured by a county vehicle, but were dissatisfied with the failure by City Hall officials to address them.

They were from a football match in which the team won at City Stadium. They them marched towards Kencom bus stop where they later burnt the county vehicle and a private one.