Former Nairobi governor Gideon Mbuvi, popularly known as Mike Sonko, lodged a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the officiating in Kenya’s 2025 CHAN quarter-final clash against Madagascar.
In a complaint filed before the CAF Disciplinary Board, Sonko accused the match officials of bias and misconduct, claiming their decisions unfairly disadvantaged the Harambee Stars.
The highly contested game, played on August 22, ended with Madagascar advancing after a penalty shoot-out.
According to the complaint, Sonko alleged that referees wrongfully disallowed two goals scored by Kenya without subjecting the incidents to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review or proper consultation with team captains and coaches.
He further claims that the match officials acted in a manner that contravened CAF statutes, the spirit of sportsmanship, loyalty, integrity and ethics.
The complaint also contended collective responsibility by referees, assistant referees, the match commissioner, referee inspector, security officers, and other CAF-appointed officials as liable for conspiring to deny Kenya a place in the semi-finals.
“The Complainant/Applicant herein alleges several and joint responsibility for conspiring to deny Kenya the opportunity to participate in the Semi-finals and beyond by wrongfully officiating and disregarding the rules of the game,” argued Sonko.
Sonko sought several remedies, including nullification of the disallowed goals, annulment of the penalty shoot-out results, or in the alternative, a rematch between Kenya and Madagascar.
He also wanted the officials who oversaw the match reprimanded for breaching CAF’s Code of Conduct.
“The conduct by the match officials in the KENYA VERSUS MADAGASCAR QUARTER FINAL GAME is greatly prejudicial to the Republic of Kenya and myself as it contravenes the provisions of the CAF statutes and Code,” read the complaint.
The complaint however may not have any impact on the outcome.
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