Bandari Coach Explains His Players Reaction After Gor Mahia Drama as He Raises Concerns Over Poor Officiating

Bandari FC coach Bernard Mwalala has broken his silence following the stalemate between his side and Gor Mahia at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Sunday, April 19.

In an official statement released by the club, Mwalala sought to balance an apology for his players' conduct with a pointed reminder of the officiating hurdles his team has faced throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

The primary talking point of the match was the 85th-minute penalty reversal that saw Bandari players surround referee Phanuel Omire in a heated protest.

While the decision was ultimately overturned, the optics of the confrontation drew criticism. Mwalala was quick to distance the club’s core values from those scenes.

"I build my team on the principles of hard work, dedication, persistence, discipline, and a strong winning mentality," Mwalala stated.

"The reaction from my players following the penalty decision was uncharacteristic and does not reflect the values we uphold as a club."

The coach further clarified his own role in de-escalating the situation, noting that he was the first to step onto the pitch to "guide the players away from confronting the referee," ensuring that the match reached its conclusion despite the high-pressure environment.

While Mwalala labelled the Gor Mahia incident as an isolated case where emotions took over, he provided a detailed broader context to justify why his squad reached a breaking point.

The coach listed a string of recent grievances that suggest a growing frustration with officiating consistency in the league.

Specifically, Mwalala referenced a disallowed goal and a debated penalty against Shabana FC, a denied red card opportunity against Mara Sugar FC, and a goal-line controversy against Kakamega Homeboyz.

Crucially, he drew a direct parallel to a previous fixture against Bidco United, noting that the team had "a penalty decision overturned against Bidco, similar to the situation in the Gor Mahia fixture."

"Additionally, we had a penalty decision overturned against Bidco, similar to the situation in the Gor Mahia fixture, and a goal-line incident against Kakamega Homeboyz where play was allowed to continue despite the ball appearing to have crossed the line.In all these instances, the team maintained discipline and respect toward match officials. The incident against Gor Mahia remains an isolated case where emotions briefly took over, and we acknowledge that it does not represent who we are as a club,” he added.

Despite the distractions off the pitch, Bandari’s focus remains on a strong finish. With only six fixtures remaining and 18 points up for grabs, the club wants to get a minimum of 10 points to secure a top-five league finish and a deep run in the FKF Cup.