I doubt if Augmentin is the right dose for ailing Gor Mahia

A quiet but vicious battle is currently unfolding at Gor Mahia. It is a fight for the very soul of our beloved K’Ogalo.

From what I am gathering, some fans, saddened by the dwindling fortunes of the club ever since our shirt sponsors SportPesa pulled out leaving us literally naked, decided to come up with an initiative to bail out the club.

Calling themselves Augmentin -- I hope no relation to a drug by the same name which my friend and fellow Gor Mahia supporter Benjamin Agina sells for pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline -- these guys started an initiative whereby they collect money and pay for players’ upkeep, transport to training and matches as well as other expenses.

And therein lies the heart of the matter. In a strange twist of fate, the Augmentin chaps have been forced to go on the defensive as a section of fellow fans, going by the moniker ‘Jotene’ or old time fans, believe this new initiative is nothing more than an avenue to fleece the club.

As usual with all debates around our beloved club, the heat generated cannot allow an independent interlocutor to sift through the various arguments to get to the real issue.

As I have stated, the Augmentin fellows believe that theirs is the best way to get Gor out of the miasma of poverty we are currently wallowing in. Which is just as well -- I am forever for any initiative that will improve the lot of the players and the club as a whole.

However, ‘Jotene’ claim that there is some opaqueness in the way the Augmentin gang is running the show. Some of those I have spoken to believe that this is nothing but a scheme by some well heeled supporters to snatch the club ownership from the rank and file and turn it into some exclusive club.

They claim that the Augmentin chaps have the long-term view of turning the club into a limited company – with the alleged connivance of a top club official and those now contributing to the welfare of the players will automatically become shareholders in the new entity.

Now, as I have stated before, in my line I deal in the currency of facts and so far I have not seen any communication to the effect that Augmentin wants to grab the club from the members. Be that as it may, I am also of the opinion that ‘Jotene’ should be given a hearing.

I understand the ‘Jotene’ wariness. Those of us who have supported the club over the years have seen all kinds of shenanigans from Jenny good shoe fellows who have nothing but their stomachs to care for under the guise of helping the club.

My caution would be that the club calls a meeting where stakeholders will freely discuss the way forward.

Otherwise, we will see more of the current grandstanding and sabre rattling which, from my experience, has all the hallmarks of a loaded barrel of gunpowder waiting for a single spark to explode in all our faces.

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