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Why Sunday's 'Mashemeji' derby is in limbo
AFC Leopards' Maxwell Otieno (right) vies for the ball with Gor Mahia's Levin Opiyo during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Nyayo National Stadium on March 30, 2025.
What you need to know:
- This is now the fourth time the 'Mashemeji' Derby has been postponed this season due to venue issues. The first-leg match was originally scheduled for November 23, 2023, with AFC Leopards as hosts, but it was postponed due to the unavailability of Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums, both under renovation.
Sunday's highly anticipated 'Mashemeji' Derby hangs in the balance after Gor Mahia rejected a proposal by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to host the match at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.
Gor Mahia Secretary General Nick Arum told Nation Sport they are yet to settle on a venue.
“They (FKF) wanted us to play the game at Ulinzi Sports Complex, but we have rejected such a proposal. The game will be played within this month on a date which we shall settle on and in a convenient venue for our fans and AFC Leopards,” said a tough-talking Arum.
However, FKF said they would issue a statement on the fate of the match.
Only five rounds of matches remain in the season, with the final games scheduled for May 31. FKF is expected to submit the name of the league winner to CAF by July 1.
The derby was initially set to be staged at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) objected to this, citing ongoing renovations and the need to preserve the pitch ahead of the delayed Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in August.
This decision came after officials from Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards met with FKF and Sports Stadia management on Tuesday. The group had earlier agreed to host the match at Kasarani, which has been under renovation since August 2023 in preparation for both CHAN and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
FKF Secretary Harold Ndege had earlier confirmed the match would be held at Kasarani, stating that the federation was directly involved to ensure maximum security.
However, Gor Mahia sources told Nation Sport that the club was not willing to risk the safety of its fans following the chaos that erupted during their recent fixture against Shabana at Gusii Stadium. Several Gor supporters were injured during the clashes.
In a strongly-worded letter dated May 6 and signed by Gor Chairman Ambrose Rachier, Gor Mahia criticised how the situation at Gusii Stadium was handled. The letter also vowed that the club would never return to the venue.
The FKF had proposed capping the number of fans attending the derby at Ulinzi Sports Complex, a move that was rejected by Gor Mahia, who are the designated hosts.
It also remains unclear whether the management of Ulinzi Sports Complex had been consulted about hosting the derby, especially in light of past hooliganism at the venue. On September 22 last year, Shabana fans damaged seats and destroyed property during a league match against Ulinzi Stars.
Gor Mahia also raised concerns about potential revenue losses, noting that a limited-capacity venue would affect gate collections. AFC Leopards reportedly collected Sh7.3 million during the first-leg derby on March 30.
This is now the fourth time the 'Mashemeji' Derby has been postponed this season due to venue issues. The first-leg match was originally scheduled for November 23, 2023, with AFC Leopards as hosts, but it was postponed due to the unavailability of Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums, both under renovation.
A new date of March 1 was also scrapped for the same reason. Another scheduled clash on April 6 was pushed forward to this weekend, which has once again been postponed.