Gor Mahia chairmanship aspirant Dan Oketch confers with his lawyer Omondi Omollo during thehearing of their case at the Sports Disputes Tribunal on December 13, 2016. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 14 – The newly elected Gor Mahia officials led by chairman Ambrose Rachier will be adopted on interim basis until a case filed at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) challenging the striking off of some 1,577 voters from the register pre-election is heard and determined.
The case had been brought to the SDT’s attention before the elections by chairmanship aspirant Dan Oketch and was heard on Tuesday afternoon.
He argued that the voters, most of who he claims are his supporters were struck off the register unlawfully in a bid to influence the outcome of the election and wants them to be included and given an opportunity to vote.
Consensus was reached after Gor, through Rachier argued that failure to have a new office in place would jeopardise the club’s ambition to beat the FIFA/CAF club licensing deadline which is on Friday December 16.
“It would be my wish that this matter be determined as soon as possible because there are club licensing requirements which we need to comply with before December 16 or we risk not playing in the league or any CAF tournament next year,” Rachier told the tribunal.
The SDT had instructed that the elections which were held last Sunday would go on, but the results would not be taken as conclusive pending the determination of the case over the omitted list of voters.
Rachier’s lawyer Geoffrey Obura had presented three options for the petitioners through their lawyer Omondi Omollo to ensure both sides’ interests were taken into consideration.
Dan Oketch’s lawyer Omondi Omollo confers with Ambrose rachier’s lawyer Geoffrey Obura at teh Sports Disputes Tribunal on December 13, 2016. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
It was either the old officials be registered as the bonafide club officials pending the outcome of the case, the new officials to be listed as permanent officials or the newly elected officials to be presented as interim officials pending the decision by the tribunal.
“I think we were short-changed because when we discussed that outside, he (Obura) only mentioned the third option. I would have preferred the old officials remain as we solve this issue,” Oketch told Capital Sport after SDT chair John Ohaga adopted the recommendation.
Omollo, appearing for the petitioners asked the tribunal to fastrack the process, to ensure it is resolved before the new season begins to avoid creating unnecessary tension that might affect the performance of the team.
The matter will be heard on January 12, 2017 by a three-member panel led by chair Ohaga, his deputy Elina Shiveka and Njeri Onyango. A member of the committee, GMT Ottieno disqualified himself from the panel due to conflict of interest.
Rachier was re-elected as Gor chair for a fourth term on Sunday with 579 votes against Oketch who got 220 while former Secretary General Chris Omondi, managed 157 votes.
