Detain the yobs to end crowd trouble

At the risk of appearing to condone hooliganism, I must fault a most untimely decision by some amorphous body called the Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee (IDCC) to dock Ingwe three points.

I’ve stated it on this forum before that hooligans have no place, not only at AFC Leopards matches, but in society in general.

At the very least, a hooligan, like the one I saw chasing a referee at the Mumias Sports Complex during the aborted Ingwe-Ulinzi first leg match belongs to Kamiti Prison.

Similarly, the goon who was caught on camera kicking and boxing a linesman during the Gor Mahia v versus Tusker match at the Nyayo national stadium has no business on this earth.

That said, the so called disciplinary committee‘s decision to deduct Ingwe and K’Ogalo three points each following these two unfortunate incidents will not end hooliganism in Kenyan football, I can guarantee anybody who cares to listen.

These guys have for years reduced these two great clubs to some sort of cash cow, always lying in wait for hooligans to strike before proceeding to impose hefty fines while doing absolutely nothing to put in place concrete measures to stem the vice.

They are certainly no better than the county government traffic marshals who lurk in the shadows waiting for one to commit the flimsiest of traffic offences before pouncing on the unfortunate party.

Hooliganism is a criminal offence. Now, the power to arrest an offender and subject them to due process is vested in the Police force, not AFC Leopards, not Gor Mahia, not even IDCC.

The best Ingwe or K’Ogalo or even you and I can do is to point out the offender to the law enforcement guys for appropriate deterrent action.

It is for this very reason that football matches, especially the ones involving Ingwe or K’Ogalo can never take place unless elaborate security is guaranteed.

Otherwise what business would the hordes of police officers we always see in our stadiums have gracing these matches?

IDCC should tell me the last time these cops ever arrested a hooligan and took him to court.

The only hooligans I’ve seen being arraigned in our courts of law were those who were arrested vandalizing vehicles on Moi Avenue after the aborted Ingwe-K’Ogalo match last year.

I long for the day I will see cops arrest goons right inside the stadium and subject them to the full force of the law.

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There is something annoying about successive Ingwe management teams.

The appetite to pilfer any “loose” funds never diminishes, regardless of which officer is in charge.

Even at the club’s very lowest moments, financially speaking, some characters never missed the opportunity to deep their fingers in the till.

With Sportspesa millions now available, word has it that the guys responsible for gate collections are yet to bank a single cent in the club’s account since the league started.

Robbers, for that is what they are.