The tenure of long-serving Gor Mahia Footbal Club chairman Ambrose Rachier has officially come to an end after completing the maximum eight-year term allowed under the Sports Act, setting the stage for fresh elections at the record Kenyan champions.
Sports Registrar Rose Wasike has directed the club to comply with existing regulations and initiate the process of replacing officials whose terms expired on June 8, 2026.
According to Wasike, the Registrar’s office has on several occasions engaged Gor Mahia FC over governance issues, including the review of the club’s constitution and strategic plan, but the club has been slow in implementing the required changes.
The Registrar noted that Gor Mahia FC had already been advised on the steps it needed to take, including the removal of officials who have completed the maximum term stipulated under the law.
“Since the Registrar has already advised Gor Mahia FC on what needs to be done, including the removal of officials whose term is ending on June 8, 2026, upon completion of the eight-year term stipulated under Paragraph F of the Second Schedule of the Sports Act, read together with Regulation 20(6) of the Sports Registrar Regulations of September 2, 2016,” part of the Registrar’s letter reads.
Wasike further stated that Rachier’s term is deemed to have begun when the club received its certificate of registration on June 8, 2018, making June 8, 2026, the official end date of his tenure under the Sports Act.
“The current chairman of the club, Ambrose Rachier, assumed office from the time I issued the certificate of registration to the club on June 8, 2018, hence the completion of his term of office on June 8, 2026, as required under the Sports Act,” Wasike stated.
The Registrar has now directed Gor Mahia FC to issue a four-week notice to her office before conducting elections to replace the chairman and any other elected officials whose terms have expired. She warned that a formal reminder would be issued should the club fail to comply with the directive.
Rachier, who has led Gor Mahia FC since 2008 and earned the nickname “Mugabe” due to his lengthy stay at the helm of the club, has overseen one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. Over the years, he has at times been elected unopposed, further cementing his influence within the club.
However, the Sports Registrar has maintained that no official is exempt from the term limits outlined in the law and has vowed to ensure strict adherence to the regulations governing sports organizations in Kenya.
The development now places pressure on Gor Mahia FC to organize elections and usher in a new leadership team as the club seeks to align itself with the Sports Act and the Sports Registrar Regulations.
