Have Kenyan football fans fallen in love with hooliganism?

Have Kenyan football fans fallen in love with hooliganism? And if so, do they understand the huge financial ramification that come with it?

A critical look at past and present incidences zeroing in on Kenya’s most popular clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, who have ironically become the masters of the disgraceful act, points to a scenario where the can’t learn, won’t learn fans appear to have fallen in love with hooliganism.

So much so that stone throwing, pelting match officials with all kinds of missiles has become the order of the day whenever their teams suffer defeats.

While in the stands, there are genuine cases of fans who simply come for the love of the game, there are a few unruly elements hell-bent on causing trouble.

In the long run, their vile actions have indeed come with a high price. It not only brings anguish and agony to fans, players and match officials but also massive losses to traders and clubs which are usually left with no choice but to pay hefty fines.

Take for instance, the recent incident during which irate AFC Leopards fans caused the abandonment of the GOtv semi final match against Sofapaka at Nairobi City Stadium, at a time their team was trailing 0-2.

(READ: Rowdy fans disrupt Leopards semis match against Sofapaka)

They not only hurled missiles on the pitch but also senselessly beat up match referee Davies Omweno. Their wanton destruction of property also saw them target one of their own in defender James Situma who had the windscreen of  his car smashed.

Sadly for Situma, hardly had he been asked by a top club official to take the car to garage for service, than the said club administrator vanished in the thin air leaving him with no choice but to settle the Sh43,000 service fee.

For their unbecoming behaviour, the club was not only slapped with a Sh500,000 fine, but all their remaining league matches this season will now be played behind closed doors.

For a club that is struggling to settle the players’ winning bonuses, such a heavy fine is the last thing that they needed.

But that is not all. Ingwe also have to forfeit their third-place play-off match against West Kenya in the knock out tournament.

DESTROYING PROPERTY

Cases of fans attacking one of their own or destroying property has become all too familiar.

Last year on August 4, former Gor Mahia secretary general George Bwana had to flee for his dear life from enraged club fans who were baying for his blood after K’Ogalo played to a dour barren draw against Nairobi City Stars at the Safaricom Kasarani Stadium.

The fans displeased with the mid-season departures of Rama Salim, who had moved to Qatar, and Dan Sserunkuma, who was on trials in Armenia at the time, took issue with Bwana over the duo’s absence.

In the ensuing commotion, Bwana lost his wallet, some cash and an Ipad valued at Sh150,000. On the pitch, the fans vandalised plastic seats attracting a Sh2.8 million fine from Sports Kenya formerly (Sports Stadia Management Board) as well as being banned from using the body’s facilities. The figure was later scaled down to Sh900,000.

“Hooliganism is really killing football, more so the two clubs. The federation needs to be firmer in addressing these issues. I am looking forward to the day they will dock points from clubs whose fans perpetuate such acts,” Bwana said yesterday in an interview.

In March last year, Leopards was also fined Sh245, 000 for vandalism that followed their league match against Chemelil Sugar that ended in a 1-1 draw at Kasarani.

(READ: Four years later, stampede victims' families still awaiting justice)

The fine was as a result of their fans uprooting 70 seats from the facility as they vented their fury on alleged “poor officiating”.

In June of the same year, both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards were ordered by the Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee, IDCC, to play their next matches behind closed doors after the derby contest involving them on May 12, 2013 at the Nyayo National stadium wars marred by fan trouble, a decision that was later overturned by the football administration.

On February 26, 2011, Gor Mahia’s versus Rangers match had to be called off with five minutes left after the rowdy K’Ogalo goons stormed the pitch to protest alleged poor officiating when they were trailing 0-3.

All factors put to play, clubs continue to lose heavily due to hooliganism. A case in point is Gor losing their three-year sponsorship from milk firm Tuzo with the latter citing negative image for ending their marriage.

Clubs also lose heavily when they play behind closed doors as they miss out on gate collections that come in handy in running the day-to-day operations and settling players’ bonuses.

Sadly to date, no proper measures have been put in place to stem the vice.