Football is, without a doubt, one of the world’s most loved sports. It boasts a fan following that eclipses any other, with billions watching, playing, and talking about the beautiful game. According to Bleacher Report, soccer is played in 208 countries and tops the charts in 93 nations, representing a combined population of 2 billion. The World Cup, the crown jewel of global sports events, demonstrates just how massive the sport is, drawing in the attention of nearly one-third of the world’s population.
In Kenya, football is not just a sport; it is a passion. The FKF Premier League (FKFPL) is the lifeblood of Kenyan football, with fans flocking to stadiums to support their teams with unquestionable loyalty. However, there is an insidious trend threatening to taint the beauty of the game: hooliganism. Once considered a relic of bygone days, hooliganism is now resurfacing in Kenyan football, with acts of violence and chaos becoming disturbingly frequent.
Take Gameweek eight of the 2024/2025 season as a chilling example. Gor Mahia’s head coach, Leonardo Neiva, was left bloodied after being attacked by angry fans following a dramatic last-minute equalizer by Murang’a SEAL. In Meru, AFC Leopards’ head coach Tomas Trucha narrowly escaped a similar fate after his side lost 2-0 to Ulinzi Stars. These events highlight a worrying trend: hooliganism is rearing its ugly head once more, and it is threatening to become the new face of Kenyan football.
But what is driving this resurgence of violence? Is it the mounting pressure on teams to deliver results, or is it a failure of leadership within the football fraternity? It seems a combination of both. In the case of Gor Mahia, Neiva’s decision to discipline players involved in unsanctioned friendlies with a side comically named “A Mosquito FC” further fueled fan frustrations. The team’s subsequent 2-1 defeat to Nairobi City Stars only made things worse, and the pressure on Neiva ahead of the Murang’a SEAL clash was palpable. Despite taking a comfortable 2-0 lead into halftime, Gor Mahia crumbled, and when Murang’a SEAL equalized in the final minute, chaos erupted.
The scenes at the stadium were nothing short of disgraceful. Furious fans broke through barriers, confronting the coach in a violent display of frustration. Neiva was assaulted, and police had to resort to tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob. The Gor Mahia management has remained eerily silent since the incident, failing to condemn the violence or even acknowledge the attack on their head coach.
Similarly, after their loss to Ulinzi Stars, AFC Leopards’ fans threatened to storm the pitch in Meru. Coach Tomas Trucha had to be escorted off the field by stewards, narrowly avoiding a full-blown assault. AFC Leopards fans had warned Trucha just a week earlier, demanding better results or promising to unleash their fury.
These incidents have led to a serious question: where is Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in all this? The federation has remained conspicuously quiet, despite the violent outbursts from fans of the two biggest clubs in the country. The FKF’s silence is deafening, especially given the fact that Shabana FC recently faced penalties for fan misconduct, yet Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have, so far, escaped any significant punishment. This selective application of rules is baffling and only serves to embolden hooligans.
Hooliganism is not just an inconvenience; it is a cancer that threatens to destroy Kenyan football from within. The very fans who claim to love their clubs are the same ones jeopardizing their future. Clubs like Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, already struggling financially, could lose key sponsors and supporters if this violence continues unchecked. Case in point: SportPesa, one of the leading sponsors of Kenyan football, recently suspended its sponsorship deal with both clubs over concerns about hooliganism. The consequences are dire.
Fans, too, must bear responsibility. True supporters stand by their teams in both victory and defeat. They understand that football is a game with three possible outcomes: a win, a loss, or a draw. Hooligans, on the other hand, resort to violence when they cannot accept a loss, tarnishing the image of their clubs and driving away genuine fans.
This brings us to the impending Mashemeji Derby, arguably the most anticipated fixture on the FKFPL calendar. With both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards under immense pressure to deliver, tensions will be sky-high. The question on everyone’s mind is: will we witness more violence if the results don’t go according to fans’ expectations? Based on recent events, the threat of chaos looms large, and unless the FKF steps in with firm action, Kenyan football may be headed down a dangerous path.
At the time of writing, only AFC Leopards has taken steps to discipline players, while Gor Mahia remains quiet despite the involvement of some players in unsanctioned activities. This silence, combined with the federation’s reluctance to impose penalties, paints a picture of a sport in crisis.
The time for inaction is over. The FKF must take decisive steps to clamp down on hooliganism before it spirals out of control. Clubs must be held accountable for their fans’ actions, and the individuals perpetrating violence should be arrested and prosecuted. If we fail to act now, the damage done to Kenyan football could be irreversible.
Kenya is set to co-host the 2024 CHAN tournament, a major international event that will draw the eyes of the footballing world. What kind of message are we sending if we allow violence to mar our domestic league? Football is supposed to unite, not divide. The true fans of Kenyan football must stand up, report hooligans, and reclaim the beautiful game from the clutches of violence.
Visit Flashscore for Live Football Scores.
