Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday evening issued an open indictment at egregious Gor Mahia management following endless blunders during their continental assignments.Odinga, synonymous with proverbial proclamations in his long and eventful political career, clothed his charge against K’Ogalo management in a congratulatory message tweeted after the club trumped their local rivals AFC Leopards to book a place in the CAF Confederation Cup.Gor Mahia have earned a very undesirable reputation around the continent for always bungling travel plans for their away matches in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.Congratulations @OfficialGMFC on winning the #MashemejiDerby to qualify for the CAF confederation cup after beating arch-rivals @AFCLeopards 4-1 on post-match penalties. Kudos to both teams for playing a great game. I urge Gor Mahia to plan better for this year’s tournament.— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) July 4, 2021 So poor has the club’s management of travel logistics been that they arrived in Zambia one hour to kick-off for a crucial return leg tie of Confederation Cup group stage clincher against NAPSA Stars earlier this year.K’Ogalo were duly dumped out of the competition courtesy of a stoppage time penalty. The team has made it a norm, jetting in late for their away fixtures, and clearly Odinga, who is club patron is not amused.Gor Mahia famously eliminated South African outfit Supersport United from the Confederation Cup in April 2018 having arrived in South Africa the same day due to chaotic planning. Leading 1-0 from Nairobi, K’Ogalo battled to a 2-1 loss in South Africa and progressed courtesy of away goals rule.Gor Mahia officials flying Business class to Morocco while players are stranded at the airport.These guys should be caned. pic.twitter.com/AeQw3YqqmN— Hon Lee Makwiny (@leemakwiny) April 13, 2019 They did not have as much luck when they traveled to Morocco a year later to play Berkane as they soaked in five goals and crashed out on a 7-1 aggregate score.The Kenyan club arrived in Morocco the same day, landing in Casablanca then making an eight-hour road trip to Berkane for the game. The players had two hours to cool off before taking to the pitch and the score line reflected their condition.Countless times the club has rushed to Odinga for bailouts when they are unable to honour their international away fixtures.Gor Mahia players stranded at Casablanca Airport in Morocco ahead of tomorrow’s CAF match in Algeria. pic.twitter.com/SWEYSRazi5— Robin Njogu (@robinnjogu) August 28, 2018 Ousted Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has also in several occasions purchased tickets to K’Ogalo when the management is stranded.Besides their chaotic travels, Gor Mahia have also struggled to pay player salaries despite having a shirt sponsor and playing in a league with a broadcast sponsor.The club is playing catchup with wages this year and financing their travels for Confederation Cup will be a tall order.Gor Mahia players stranded in the airport ahead of their #CAFCC second leg encounter with Moroccan side RS Berkane.Sad 😭 @AMB_A_Mohammed patron @RailaOdinga @OfficialGMFC Fans @SportPesa something should be done. pic.twitter.com/xg1oKYf1Im— #KothBiro (@RealPinchez) April 13, 2019 Odinga’s tweet is a caution to the management comprising celebrated lawyer Ambrose Rachier, Dolphina Odhiambo and Sam Ochola.K’Ogalo last week launched a drive to raise Ksh200 million to jumpstart their journey towards self-reliance. The initiative has elicited mixed reactions as critics point at the club’s lack of transparency.
