Gor Mahia Suffer Setback as Court Nullifies Patron Eliud Owalo’s Appointment

Gor Mahia have suffered a second leadership setback after Patron Eliud Owalo was ruled to be holding the position illegally.

Owalo was installed as club patron following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga last October who had held the position for a long time.

However, the decision met resistance from some of the club’s members with former secretary general Sam Ochola filing a petition at the Sports Disputes Tribunal challenging the legality of the process that led to his installation.

The tribunal has now delivered its verdict and it is bad news for the record Kenyan champions.

"The confirmation of Hon Eliud Owalo as Patron of Gor Mahia Football Club... was unconstitutional, ultra vires and undertaken by an organ lacking the constitutional mandate to do so. The said confirmation is hereby declared null and void ab initio and of no legal effect whatsoever,” the tribunal ruled.

"The Interested Party shall not hold or exercise the office of Patron unless and until lawfully appointed in accordance with the Club's Constitution,” the ruling further read, ordering Owalo to leave the position.

It is not the end of Owalo as Gor Mahia patron, however, as he can still assume the position if the right process is followed.

According to the tribunal, a patron can only be appointed by a Board of Trustees and has therefore ordered K’Ogalo to convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 60 days to constitute this entity which can then install the club patron.

Owalo is the second leader at Gor Mahia to be declared illegally holding his position after Sport Registrar Rose Wasike also ordered chairman Ambrose Rachier out for being in office when his term had expired although the matter is still pending in court.