We want justice: Gor Mahia chair cries foul over officiating standards amid title race tension
By Luke Oluoch, April 22, 2026Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has criticised the standards of officiating in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League, calling for justice and transparency in how the Kenyan top-tier league is handled.
Speaking on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at a Nairobi hotel, the city lawyer lent credence to a section of the club’s fanbase regarding biased decisions in recent games.
Gor Mahia has failed to win a single match in their last three encounters, throwing their league title chase in serious jeopardy even as they remain top of the league with a three-point cushion.
Rachier, who was flanked by Vice Chair Sally Bolo, disclosed that they have written to the Federation seeking clarity over the incidents witnessed during the controversial tie against Bandari FC on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
He specifically addressed the controversial decision to reverse a penalty call in K’Ogalo’s favour and why no action was taken on the visiting team accosting the match official.
Harassing match official
“We have written the protest. We have dressed them to look into two decisions. One question is whether it is legal for a referee to reverse a decision, particularly following threats of physical touching and harassing the referee from opposing players. It is not for me to make a decision, but we are asking if it is right, and in two ways were they pushing the ref? Has the law changed? If they insist it’s right, it is for all to see,” he posed.
During the tie, Gor contested several controversial decisions, including a claim for a late penalty when Shariff Musa went down inside the box.
In a confusing sequence, the referee initially awarded the penalty before later overturning the decision. The incident led to an ugly altercation afterward, as the Bandari custodian and several players accosted the referee.
Justice and fidelity to laws
“We are talking about justice, which must not only be done but must be seen to be done based on the principle of equity and justice. It is not just from a legal point of view but from any decision-making,” Rachier stated.
“There are rules; we are asking rules to be observed, and we are watching when they’re not being observed or followed. When abominable things are done in the open, we are seeing, and we must point it out,” he added.
Additionally, Gor, who are currently locked in a tight two-horse title race against arch-rivals AFC Leopards, were left feeling hard done by after being allowed to play only a fraction of the signaled added time during the potentially decisive final minutes of the encounter.
The long-serving chairman clarified that the presser was far from a mere lamentation; rather, it was time to face such conversations head-on to save the integrity of the league.
“I am not talking here as chair of Gor Mahia. Many will say we have come to protest. NO. The concerns that we have as a club, we have independently addressed to the federation, and we have written to them about We are not a special club. We are just a sporting organisation with our own concerns and have duly invited the federation to look into those decisions,” he stated.