Gor Mahia’s troubled start to the 2025/26 SportPesa Premier League season has taken another twist after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Disciplinary Committee fined the club for a serious matchday security lapse during their opening fixture against Bidco United at Kasarani Stadium.
In a ruling released today, the Committee found Gor Mahia guilty of violating FKF Regulations and the CAF Disciplinary Code, following chaotic scenes that marred the September 21 match. The matchday disorder, which saw fans stranded outside the stadium, police intervention with teargas, and a total breakdown of access control, was described as a failure of basic safety standards.
According to the Committee’s findings, Gor Mahia did not maintain adequate security and order despite having engaged third-party vendors to manage e-ticketing and gate operations. The report emphasized that contracting external firms does not absolve a club of responsibility. FKF stressed that Gor Mahia, as the home team, holds a non-delegable duty of care to ensure both the safety of fans and proper supervision of all matchday activities.
The Committee anchored its decision on two legal principles ,Strict Liability and Vicarious Liability. Under Strict Liability, clubs are accountable for any disorder or incidents occurring in or around the stadium during their fixtures, regardless of who is at fault. The doctrine of Vicarious Liability extends that accountability to cover actions or omissions by service providers, contractors, or stewards working under the club’s authority.
FKF underlined that outsourcing critical matchday operations such as ticketing, security, or crowd management must always be accompanied by active oversight. Clubs are expected to conduct due diligence, deploy sufficient personnel, and coordinate with police and venue authorities to prevent safety risks.
As a result, Gor Mahia has been found culpable for failing to maintain adequate matchday security. The club has been issued a formal warning and fined Ksh. 300,000, payable within 14 days. FKF has further cautioned that repeated lapses of this nature will attract stiffer sanctions, which could include stadium bans or points deductions in future.
A detailed explanation of the ruling and the Committee’s legal reasoning will be published on November 4, 2025, after which Gor Mahia will have the right to appeal in accordance with FKF’s Rules and Regulations (2024).
The development comes just days after widespread criticism of Gor Mahia’s chaotic ticketing system during the same fixture , an episode that left fans frustrated, children exposed to teargas, and public trust in club organization badly shaken. The FKF decision sends a clear warning that safety and proper management remain non-negotiable in Kenyan football, especially as the nation builds toward hosting AFCON 2027.
