POLITICAL RUMBLE: Shameful acts as CORD and Jubilee clash at Carnivore

Big Ted (right) and Reuben Ndolo (back facing camera) in heated exhcnge during the boxing event dubbed "Bigger than life" at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya on February 18, 2017. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.co

Politics marred a high profile international boxing event held in Nairobi at the weekend.

The Bigger Than Life Entertainment contest held on Saturday night at the Carnivore in Nairobi turned chaotic following a clash between CORD and Jubilee supporters after a barrage of political undertones from a section of the speakers, who stepped on the podium.

Trouble started when former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo stepped into the ring to give a vote of thanks after the high end show that realised knockouts, technical knockouts and unanimous points decisions.

Ndolo, in his speech, challenged the Government to give full financial support to sports in the country more so to boxing, which he said has been neglected by the State and is lagging behind.

“It’s a shame that someone has to travel all the way from United States of America to come and improve boxing in Kenya yet the Government has money to do that.

Zarika Fatuma fight Flora Machela from Tanzania during the boxing event dubbed "Bigger than life" at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi,Kenya on February 18, 2017. Fatuma won on a TKO. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

“I urge President Uhuru Kenyatta to come out and support boxing financially as those charged to improve sports in this country are sleeping on the job,” Ndolo said.

But Ndolo’s remarks did not augur well with a section of Jubilee supporters, who had occupied two prime tables next to the ring.

Led by entertainment guru Big Ted and his wing man, who goes by a single stage name, Kadee, the angry Jubilee supporters summoned Bigger Than Life Entertainment officials and sought to know why they gave Ndolo the opportunity to attack Jubilee Government at the venue.

Tension heightened when Ndolo, who had also accused Ted and his company of misleading Uhuru not to attend the high profile boxing contest, stepped out of the ring only to be charged at by Ted and Kadee.

Standing his ground, Ndolo challenged the two to a fight, then hell broke loose and the two had to be separated by their legion of supporters from tearing at each other.

“This should be a pure boxing affair why bring politics into it?” Ted questioned.

“We came here to drink our money, not to be involved in this kind of pettiness,“ Kadee shouted at Ndolo.

Ted told Ndolo, who is also the former Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) patron to stop dragging Uhuru’s name into any failed project in sports.

This is not the first time Ndolo is accusing the State of doing little to support the sport. Last November during the hyping of the first Making of A champion boxing championship by the Bigger Than Life Entertainment, Ndolo accused current KPBC patron Johnson Sakaja of abandoning the sport and the federation, and doing little to encourage the Government to inject financial support into the sport.

“Ndolo was KPBC chairman and patron for uncountable years. What did he do to change the sport?” Ted posed.

“If he (Ndolo) has a problem with the President then this is the wrong platform to address it,” Ted said.

Everyone at the venue was ordered to leave when things got out of hand.

This inconvenienced revellers, who had paid entry fee to watch other entertainments that had been lined up after the boxing extravaganza.

“I am not a boxing fan, but what brought me here was the R$B music performance I was told would be staged by unrevealed American artistes. I am clearly disappointed,” said a fan by the name Susan Njoki.

At the end, the artistes who had been flown in from the US performed to an empty venue.