Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero yesterday banned Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards clubs from playing in stadiums in the city.
On Sunday, fans of the two clubs engaged in stone throwing and property worth millions of shillings was destroyed.
The two clubs were meeting at the Nyayo National Stadium in a Kenyan Premier League encounter, which ended prematurely after the fans became unruly.
AFC Leopards fans started the trouble when Gor Mahia were awarded a penalty in the 62nd minute following a handball by Ingwe captain Jackson Saleh.
The referee pointed to the spot but the fans could not take it and started throwing stones to the pitch, forcing a 20-minute stoppage.
The match commissioner finally announced the abandonment.
The fans engaged police in running battles which spilt outside the stadium and into the streets affecting the flow of traffic and both public and private property was destroyed.
Some fans were seriously injured and needed emergency medical services.
Without giving details, Kidero said the two teams will not be playing in any of the city stadiums and demanded compensation for the damaged property.
“Kidero has demanded compensation from organisers of the Kenya Premier League game after hundreds of fans stormed into the streets, destroying property and uprooting trees along Uhuru Highway,” a statement from City Hall said.
“During the riots, police had to use teargas to disperse the mob that was also destroying public infrastructure. The county government has told the management of the two oldest clubs to relocate the scheduled matches to other areas.”
However, KPL CEO Jack Oguda said the decision was misinformed.
“They [The Nairobi government] should address their concerns to us and to the regulatory authority [FKF],” he said.
“It is rather premature since we have to wait for the referees’ and match commissioner’s report, which are expected to document the events as they were at Nyayo Stadium and the reasons for their abandonment call.”
Oguda said the county government should not just wait for something to happen to ban teams, but rather beef up security to avoid such scenarios.
Meanwhile, FKF has blamed KPL for the mess.
