The Kenyan Premier League clash between record champions Gor Mahia and debutants Talanta failed to take place at Bukhungu Stadium on Saturday as scheduled.
Gor had written to the Football Kenya Federation Transition Committee's chairman retired judge Aaron Ringera on the eve of the encounter, stating their intentions to snub the fixture.
“We refer the gazette notice number 5518 published by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Heritage appointing the Football Kenya Federation Transition Caretaker Committee. We congratulate you on your appointment as the chairperson of this committee,” the letter read.
“We enclose herewith a copy of our letter addressed to the Cabinet Secretary. For the reasons advanced therein, and now in accordance with the powers conferred upon the Transition Committee, we request you to have the above match rescheduled to another date and at an appropriate venue.”
L had their wishes fulfilled by the Transition Committee who responded a day later confirming that the match had been called off.
"Kindly note that the 2021/2022 match number 264 between FC Talanta and Gor Mahia has been postponed to a later date which will be communicated in due course," read the letter signed by Head of Secretariat Linda Ogutu.
The record Kenyan champions had also written to the Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, observing that there was a leadership vacuum after the Caretaker Committee's six-months mandate expired on Tuesday.
They also raised concern about the venue, pointing out it had not been formally listed as one of Talanta's home grounds.
“On account of the football leadership vacuum consequent upon the expiry of the term of the FKF Caretaker Committee on 11 May 2022, we wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for sports to advise her that in the circumstances we would not honour this match.”
“Besides we indicated our lack of acceptance of the venue which is more than 200km from Nairobi and is not one of the designated home grounds for Talanta FC. Following the appointment of the Transition Committee, we have taken the liberty to write to its chair reiterating our position as before. We await his action. ”
Editing by Tony Mballa
