There’s a lesson somewhere for Kenya in the peaceful Gor-Leopards match

That near full-house at Nyayo Stadium showed us that despite the mismanagement and despite all the charlatans, con men and fraudsters, Kenyan football still has a future.

A duel between Gor Mahia and AFC has always been the El Clásico of Kenyan football, but in recent times, it has not attracted the kind of attention it pulled this weekend.

It wasn’t a title-decider or a cup final, but still the fans turned out in droves to watch the latest instalment of the fiercest rivalry in local soccer.

Gor won with a comprehensive three goals to one, but what matters here is not so much the scoreline, but the celebration of local football that defied the pundits’ claim that soccer was dead.

Actually, as celebration of football, the match was not much to write home about. It was a dull and unimaginative display by both sides, but off the pitch, the really important things were happening.

Gor’s notoriously violent fans this time managed to restrain themselves. The usually tense and ugly mood every time the two teams meet was replaced by a carnival mood both in the stadium and all around.

At the nearby Nairobi West shopping centre, the green-clad Gor mingled freely and jovially with the outnumbered blue and white hoops of Leopards supporters.

Publicans at the so-called drinking capital of Nairobi did thriving business late into the night, and there were no untoward incidents.

Almost magically, Gor and AFC fans mingled in the same drinking spots without punches being thrown or bottles being hurled. Any joshing was in good humour.

Gor came into the match already under sanctions over crowd trouble. In fact, continental broadcaster SuperSport only lifted a ban on televising Gor matches on the eve of the encounter, a decision they won’t regret.

So what was it about this game that pulled such a big crowd and yet went ahead peacefully?

I think it is all about the realisation that Kenya is not an island where small bands of anarchists can operate with impunity, confident that there will be no consequences.

Both Gor and Leopards have faced punishment in the recent past for the bad behaviour of their fans, and this time took the responsibility of ensuring that those who proclaim support for the teams did not resort to hooliganism.

Knowledge that there would be heavy financial penalties if the fans caused damage was another motivating factor. Also, the element of corporate sponsorship played a big role.

Kenyan football clubs have slowly and belatedly realised that they earn much more revenue, and of a more sustainable nature, by selling space on their shirts rather than relying on the uncertain benevolence of politician-patrons.

Leopards shirts trumpet the sweetness of Mumias Sugar. The Gor kit is emblazoned with the logo of Tuzo Milk, a giant diary ironically owned by the family of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta; a family associated with historical political grudges with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, unchallenged leader of the Luo community from which Gor springs.

Both Mumias and Tuzo have earned great mileage from association with the respective teams, but are also aware that their brands would suffer irreparable damage if associated with the hooliganism typical of football worldwide.

So both companies have also gone the extra mile in reaching out to the fans and management of the teams they sponsor, driving home the point that their millions could be withdrawn if bad behaviour prevails.

We saw on Sunday what is possible in Kenyan soccer, but there still remains a big challenge because no other teams can command the kind of adulation Gor and Leopards attract.

Many teams have eclipsed the supremacy of the big two in the recent past, but neither community teams like Mathare United and Sofapaka, nor institutional ones like Tusker and Ulinzi, have anything approaching a decent fan base.

Both Gor and Leopards depend on unshakeable ethnic bases, but the fact is that they have to draw players from far and wide if they are to remain competitive.

So they have outgrown their ethnic roots, yet they retain a pride and passion not easily found elsewhere. There must be a lesson here.

mgaitho@ke.nationmedia.com