Gor Mahia were crowned as the new Kenyan Premier League champions on Saturday in Machakos having won the title this season for the third time on the bounce.
The ceremony was preceded by a game between the champions and relagation battling Posta Rangers which ended in a 1-1 draw.
However, unlike in the past, the podium lacked the who is who in Kenyan football. The face of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the mother body of Kenyan football was loudly missing and there was no government representation from the line ministry.
For the first time, the club’s patron and Kenya’s opposition chief Raila Odinga and the SportPesa Chief Executive Officer Ronald Karauri were no show.
Ronald attended Wednesday’s high profile friendly between Simba SC and LaLiga side Sevilla in Dar, Tanzania.
The coveted KPL trophy was handed to the players and club for keeps by Gor Mahia vice chairman John Pesa.
Questions have since been asked about the whole organization around the function with rumors flying that the long standing bad blood between the KPL and the FKF could have played a role in the absence of some the key figures.
Speaking to Kahawa Tungu from Morocco the FKF boss, Nick Mwendwa, explained that he missed the ceremony because he is out of the country. He dispelled online insinuations from Gor Mahia fans that he hates their club saying he is the father of all clubs in the country.
“I attended the CAF Champions League first leg final between Wydad Casablanca and Esperance de Tunis on Friday in Morocco and there’s no way I was going to be in Machakos because I haven’t returned to Kenya,” said Nick.
“We have supported Gor Mahia as a federation even when they were representing the country in the CAF Confederation Cup, the club achieved the success of reaching the quarterfinals partly because of our efforts but we don’t say it.
“When CAF wanted to cancel their match against RS Berkane due to unavailability of Kasarani Stadium, I personally intervened and used my resources to ensure the venue was available.”
Nick also reads politics in the insinuations.
“Ever since Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier lost to me in the last elections some people have not gotten over it and they keep looking for opportunities to create animosity.”
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KPL CEO Jack Oguda on his part said that he was not part of the organisation of the event because he was away on leave attending to a personal matter.
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