Gor Mahia Jolted as Sports Registrar Orders Chairman Ambrose Rachier Out of Office

Sports Registrar Rose Wasike has instructed Gor Mahia to begin the process of electing a new chairman, citing the end of Ambrose Rachier's legally permitted term under the Sports Act.

In a directive dated June 10, 2026, the Registrar confirmed that Rachier's eight-year tenure, as stipulated by Kenyan law, officially concluded on June 8, 2026. As a result, the club must now organise elections to find a successor in compliance with both the Sports Act and its own constitution.

The Registrar's office clarified that Gor Mahia's current governance cycle began with the issuance of its Certificate of Registration on June 8, 2018. The Sports Act imposes an eight-year term limit on elected officials in sports organisations.

According to Wasike, her office had previously alerted the club in March 2026 that the terms of several elected officials were set to expire in June. However, the club's Secretary General did not issue the required election notice to members and the Registrar before the deadline, prompting regulatory action.

"The Certificate of Registration was issued on 8th June 2018. Consequently, and taking into account the maximum tenure of eight (8) years prescribed by law, the Chairperson’s allowable tenure expired at midnight on 8th June 2026," the directive stated.

"The office was expecting an election notice... but it seems the club ignored the provisions of the law."

Exercising powers granted under Section 45 of the Sports Act, the Registrar has ordered the club's Secretary to issue a four-week election notice to all members and the Registrar's office. This notice will pave the way for elections for the chairman's position and any other roles where the incumbent's term has expired.

This ruling is a major turning point for Kenya's most successful football club and reinforces the enforcement of term limits across national sports bodies. The decision comes less than a year after Rachier won a landslide victory in the club's 2025 elections. However, the Registrar's interpretation links the start of his official term to the club's 2018 registration under the Sports Act, overriding any subsequent re-elections.

Rachier, who first joined the club's leadership in 2008 and has been chairman for nearly two decades, leaves a legacy marked by stability and significant domestic success. Under his guidance, Gor Mahia secured 10 league titles and cemented its status as a dominant force in Kenyan football.

The upcoming elections are set to usher in a new chapter for Gor Mahia as the club prepares to select a successor to one of its most influential modern-day leaders.