'Help me please': Gor Mahia defender appeals

From left: Gor Mahia's Joachim Oluoch, Shafik Batambuze, Dickson Ambundo and Geoffrey Ochieng warm up during their training session at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 24, 2019 ahead of their Caf Champions League preliminary round tie against Aigle Noir Makamba from Burundi. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • To donate to the Shafik Batambuze surgery fund via Mpesa use the PayBill 981300 and account name Bhachu.

Gor Mahia defender Shafik Batambuze has sent a passionate appeal to football fans to help him raise funds required for corrective surgery on his knee.

The Ugandan international aggravated a knee sprain moments after coming on in the team’s 5-1 win over Burundian side Aigle Noir at Kasarani in August.

He requires Sh400,000 to undergo the procedure and the club, which is in deep financial crisis, has admitted they have no funds to cater for the same.

“You understand the current financial crisis at the club and that is what has made Batambuze to take that route and he has our consent and support. He is still our player and we urge our fans to assist him raise enough funds to cater for his treatment. It is good to speak the truth and that is what we have done,” Club CEO Lordvick Aduda told Nation Sport.

FUND RAISE

The player has now taken to fundraising portal M-changa to raise the funds required for the procedure. He appealed to football fans irrespective of the clubs they support to help him.

“I am in pain and the sooner I have this surgery the better for me. The club has made it clear that they don’t have funds and I have been forced to ask for assistance from fans as I have no other option. My target is to have all that I need for the surgery by the end of the month or thereabout so that I can book and get it done hopefully by mid next month,” Batambuze told Nation Sport.

It is the same situation that another Gor Mahia defender, Philemon Otieno, finds himself in after completely tearing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee while on national team duty.

With both the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and K’Ogalo claiming to be broke, the midfielder-turned-defender has also been forced to fundraise from friends and family to cater for the reconstructive surgery.

To donate to the Shafik Batambuze surgery fund via Mpesa use the PayBill 891300 and account name Bhachu.