Day: August 7, 2023

Over the years, Kenyan football has been in a constant struggle to reinvent itself and become a force on the continental and global stage. General fan apathy, endless bans from governing bodies, mismanagement, and financial troubles have ensured that this still remains a step too far. However, one issue has remained a constant itch to the game – hooliganism. An insidious problem that has chipped away at the foundations of Kenyan football, hooliganism has robbed the game of fans and investment through the constant negative coverage that comes with it. A football hooligan put simply is a spectator at football events who engages in violent and all-round disorderly behavior. Most hooliganism cases in Kenyan football are more prevalent during club matches rather than the international stage. In the last five years, there have been numerous cases of hooliganism that have seen most matches abandoned or delayed at the very least. This period also coincided with Kenyan football losing numerous sponsorships. The most recent incident saw a league match between Gor Mahia and Vihiga Bullets abandoned with only one half of football played – after ugly and violent scenes in the stands as fans and stewards clashed. According to Gor Mahia chairman, Ambrose Rachier, hooliganism incidents are often triggered by fans being frustrated by refereeing decisions. “Hooliganism was quite rampant when I was first elected chairman,” Rachier explained in a recent interview with Citizen Digital. “Most fans often react without necessarily understanding how refereeing decisions are made.” Rachier also attributes the vice to fans being under the influence of alcohol and drugs. “Acts of drunkenness where fans become irresponsible have also contributed,” he added. Former Harambee Stars player and FKF caretaker Committee member, Bob Ogolla, points the finger at poor officiating, rogue fans, and mismanagement. “In the past, fans would break into stadiums to avoid paying for tickets. However, the problem has persisted mainly due to poor officiating. Generally, most fans are peaceful people. It is things like poor officiating that trigger them to misbehave,” he added. As hooliganism continues to rear its ugly head, Kenya Premier League teams continue to be the most affected by this scourge. Fans staying away from stadiums due to security concerns are a natural consequence. “Hooliganism has stopped a section of fans from coming into stadiums because of fear. It has had a serious effect in terms of scaring potential fans attending matches. That is a natural effect,” Rachier laments. AFC Leopard’s CEO, Victor Bwibo, concurs: “The negativity that comes with hooliganism means that you lose fans, and it means sponsors and benefactors shy away too.” Two of the biggest clubs in the country, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, boast of having arguably the most passionate fans in the Kenyan Premier League. The two clubs have often – sometimes unfairly, had to bear the brunt of hooliganism cases with their fans constantly stereotyped as rowdy and disorderly. Given that most cases often involve fans of the two clubs, there might be some elements of truth to the stereotype. However, hooliganism is not just a two club issue. To look at it that way would be absolving everyone else of responsibility and scapegoating two clubs that have also fallen victim to this problem. Rachier agrees that Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards cases are only more visible because they have more fans compared to institutional clubs like Ulinzi and K.C.B. Leopards CEO, Bwibo admits that hooliganism might be a problem with his club, but is hesitant to label every fan as a hooligan. “It is not the general fan base but rather a few bad apples [involved with hooliganism].” While this assertion that the comparative acts of a few eventually taint everyone else might be right, it still does not explain how this passion for the game eventually turns into overzealous criminal behavior. It is easy to dismiss hooliganism as isolated cases of lunacy and over the top fanaticism, but the truth is football hooliganism is a societal and cultural issue. The disorganization and the chaos witnessed in the upper echelons of Kenyan football management, and the rowdiness and criminality in the stands are in a perfect symbiosis; feeding off each other to create unending hurdles in the development of football in the country. The stuttering growth of Kenyan football may be attributed to many things, but to successfully climb up the rungs and become a football powerhouse, issues like hooliganism that may be considered inconsequential need to be addressed first. Investing more in matchday security goes without saying. “Most league matches have a maximum of two police officers. The number of policemen brought to handle security during matches is very few,” Bob Ogolla points out. Football management, in conjunction with security agencies, needs to put in place stringent and punitive measures that not only dissuade potential hooligans but also make an example of those found guilty of hooliganism. Kenyan football could also borrow a leaf from other leagues by compiling a register of known hooligans and banning them from attending matches. “We are still far away from being able to have things like registers in Kenya,” Bob Ogolla explains. He, however, insists that perpetrators should face very severe punishment. It can be argued that hooliganism is given life by misplaced passion which means with sufficient reforms, this zeal for the game can be positively channeled into helping bring crowds into the stadiums. Ultimately, the responsibility of fixing this problem falls squarely on the shoulders of all stakeholders involved with football in the country. The violence and destruction of property often witnessed serve only to tarnish the image of an industry still struggling to find its feet. If Kenyan football is to become a force to reckon with, as every Kenyan dreams it to be, then issues like hooliganism need to become a thing of the past. A last-gasp pitch invasion from a set of fans when Nairobi United where leading 1-0 against Zoo FC in an FKF Division One Promotion Playoff match played at RVIST