Gor Mahia Football Club has been directed to begin the process of electing new leaders after the Sports Registrar ruled that some of the club's officials, including Chairperson Ambrose Rachier, have exhausted the maximum period allowed under Kenyan sports law.
In a letter dated June 10, 2026, Sports Registrar Rose Wasike instructed the club's secretary to issue an election notice within four weeks and notify both members and the Registrar's office, citing provisions of the Sports Act and Sports Registrar Regulations.
According to the Registrar, Gor Mahia received its Certificate of Registration on June 8, 2018, and was legally required to conduct its first election within 90 days. However, the club only held its first election on August 8, 2020, nearly two years later.
The Registrar argues that the delay did not stop the tenure clock from running. Under Kenyan sports regulations, elected officials can serve a maximum of two four-year terms, amounting to eight years in office.
As a result, officials who have continuously held office since the club's registration reached the legal limit on June 8, 2026.
The letter specifically notes that during the club's elections on April 13, 2025, some officials who were re-elected were already approaching the legal ceiling of their tenure.
The Registrar states that Rachier had already completed one four-year term and was serving his final term under the law. Consequently, his allowable tenure expired at midnight on June 8, 2026, eight years after the club's registration.
The Sports Registrar further observed that the club failed to issue election notices before the expiry of the officials' terms, despite expectations that preparations for a transition would be made.
The officials elected during the April 2025 elections were: Rachier, Chairperson; Sally Bolo, Vice Chairperson; Nicanor Arum, Secretary; and Gerphas Ogolla, Treasurer.
The Registrar says any elected official whose eight-year tenure expired on June 8, 2026, must now be replaced through fresh elections.
Invoking powers under Section 45 of the Sports Act, the Registrar ordered Gor Mahia to:
Issue a four-week election notice to members and the Sports Registrar.
Begin the process of electing a new chairperson and any other officials whose terms have expired.
Submit the election notice to the Registrar within two weeks of receiving the letter.
Failure to comply, the letter warns, would amount to continued contravention of the law.
The directive could usher in one of the most significant leadership transitions in Gor Mahia's recent history. Rachier has been a dominant figure at the club for years, overseeing periods of domestic success as well as governance and financial challenges.
Should the Registrar's interpretation stand, Gor Mahia will be required to conduct elections in the coming weeks, potentially ending an era in the club's leadership and opening the door for new administrators to take charge of Kenya's most successful football club.
The development is likely to spark debate among Gor Mahia members and the wider football community, particularly regarding the interpretation of tenure limits and the implications for other sports organisations facing similar governance questions.
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