- Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier questions officiating decisions before crucial Mashemeji Derby.
- Rachier confirmed that the club has formally written to FKF seeking clarity on the decisions made during their match against Bandari.
- Gor felt hard done as they had a penalty decision overturned and game ended prematurely.
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has raised serious concerns over officiating standards in the SportPesa League following his side’s controversial draw against Bandari FC at Kasarani Stadium.
The stalemate, which should have been a routine league fixture, has since sparked debate across the local football scene due to a series of contentious decisions by the match officials.
Central to the controversy was a penalty initially awarded to Gor Mahia after Shariff Musa was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box. However, in a dramatic turn of events, the referee overturned the decision moments later following protests from Bandari players.
The incident, which was accompanied by visible confrontation as players surrounded and appeared to physically intimidate the referee, has left Gor Mahia officials questioning both the application of the laws of the game and the authority of match officials.
Rachier questions officiating decisions before crucial Mashemeji Derby
Speaking on the matter, Rachier has confirmed that the club has formally written to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) seeking clarity on the decisions made during the match.
“Instead of addressing the public we have addressed the federation and we are inviting them to look into those two decisions,” Rachier stated.
“One, whether it is lawful in the laws of football for a referee to reverse a decision such as reversing the decision to award a penalty and particularly following threats by the opponents , actually physical touching. If you look at the videos, there are players who are actually pushing the referee,” he remarked.
He further questioned the lack of disciplinary action against the players involved in the confrontation.
“It is not for me to make the decision but I am just asking, is that right? Why was the decision reversed and two, why were the players harassing the referee or actually pushing him? Why were they not punished? Has the law changed?
And that is what we are talking about, people looking and people seeing. Your decision may be different, so what influenced change of that decision and is that lawful? That is what I have written to the federation about,” he revealed.
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Beyond the penalty incident, the SportPesa League leaders have also taken issue with time management during the match.
Despite five minutes of added time being indicated, the referee blew the final whistle in the 92nd minute, three minutes earlier than expected.
Rachier did not hold back in his criticism of that decision either, pointing to what he believes is a clear misinterpretation of the rules.
“The other is the law about added time. I believe the referee can increase it in case of injury. If the added time is five minutes and there were some injuries again during that injury time, I think they are allowed to add that time to compensate.
I do not think the law allows the referee to reduce the added time.”
The controversy comes at a sensitive time, with the highly anticipated 99th Mashemeji Derby taking place on 26 April 2026.
Such officiating concerns are likely to increase pressure on match officials to deliver consistent and transparent decisions in one of the league’s biggest fixtures.
As Football Kenya Federation reviews Gor Mahia’s complaint, the spotlight now firmly shifts to officiating standards in Kenyan football, with stakeholders calling for accountability and clarity to protect the integrity of the game.
