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Gor seek to gatecrash Kagame Cup without Mwendwa’s blessings


Gor Mahia have made an attempt to compete at the 2021 Cecafa Kagame Cup in Tanzania without Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) blessings.

K’Ogalo’s move comes after a decision by FKF to  somehow select Tusker as Kenya’s representative at the regional football tournament, which kicks off on August 1, 2021.

“We write to confirm our participation at the Cecafa Kagame Cup 2021 tournament slated for Dar es Salaam. We will forward the official list of Players and Technical bench who will make the trip to the country as had been directed by the federation,” reads in part a letter by Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier to Cecafa Secretary Auka Gacheo.

But Gacheo and FKF Chief Executive Barry Otieno confirmed to Nairobi News that the brewers, and not K’Ogalo, will be heading to Tanzania to compete against the likes of hosts Yanga SC, Uganda’s Express and Malawi’s Big Bullets.

“We received a letter indicating that Tusker is the Kenyan team in the tournament. I do not wish to get involved in the criteria used by FKF. They are in the best position to elaborate,” said Gacheo.

“Tusker represents Kenya in Caf Champions League and is leading the league. We’ve given them the slot,” confirmed Otieno, who was, however at pains to explain how the decision was reached considering the slot is normally reserved for the Kenyan champions.

The brewers are at the helm of Kenya’s top-flight league with 54 points from 26 matches, four points adrift of Bankers KCB who have a game in hand.

Coincidentally FKF president Nick Mwendwa had in April 25, 2021, stated that Gor will represent the country at this tournament.

“The law says the former champions will represent the country in the case of Kagame Cup and continental competitions, so the slot will go to Gor Mahia,” said Mwendwa.

This is not the first time the federation and K’Ogalo leadership are at loggerheads.

Before the start of the season, Gor was one of the teams that refused to endorse a seven-year 860 million broadcast rights deal involving Chinese owned Pay-TV StarTimes citing its credibility.

Other teams set to compete in the tournament include Azam FC (Tanzania), Altabara FC (South Sudan), Le Messager Ngozi FC (Burundi), APR (Rwanda), KCCA FC (Uganda), KMKM SC (Zanzibar)

Tanzania champions Simba have opted out.