Dolfina Odhiambo cleared to challenge Ambrose Rachier for the Gor Mahia chairperson position
Before the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) ruled in favour of the Dolfina Odhiambo, former Gor Mahia treasurers Sally Bolo and Philip Nyakwana on Thursday, April 10 candidates vying for the chairperson position were required to pay Sh500 000 as nomination fees, while those contesting the vice chairperson position were instructed to part with Sh450 000. Nomination fees for the secretary general and honorary treasurer positions had been set at Sh400 000.
Outgoing Gor Mahia treasurer Dolfina Odhiambo has been cleared by the club’s election board to challenge Ambrose Rachier for the club’s chairperson position. The elections are set to take place on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at the Nyayo National Stadium basketball gymnasium.
Initially, Ambrose Rachier, who has been the club’s chairman since 2008, had been cleared to vie unopposed after being the only nominee for the position who had submitted nomination papers and documents before the initial deadline of April 4.
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However, Dolfina now joins the fray after she had two other candidates, former Gor Mahia treasurers Sally Bolo and Philip Nyakwana, receive a favourable ruling at the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) on a case they had filed.
The trio had filed a case challenging the high nomination fees that the Gor Mahia Elections Board had set for candidates wishing to vie for the four vacant positions of chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary general, and honorary treasurer.
Before the SDT ruled in favour of the trio on Thursday, April 10, candidates vying for the chairperson position were required to pay Sh500 000 as nomination fees, while those contesting the vice chairperson position were instructed to part with Sh450 000. Nomination fees for the secretary general and honorary treasurer positions had been set at Sh400 000.
However, following the SDT ruling, nomination fees for the chairperson and vice-chairperson positions were reduced to Sh150 000 and Sh125 000, respectively. The SDT also instructed the Gor Mahia Elections Board to reduce nomination fees for the secretary general and honorary treasurer positions to Sh100 000.
Further, the SDT ordered the Gor Mahia Election Board to extend the registration deadline to midnight on Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Following the expiry of that nomination deadline, the Gor Mahia Elections Board has since released a new list of candidates who have been cleared to vie for the four vacant positions.
The clearance of Dolfina Odhiambo to contest for the chairperson position sees her become only the third person to challenge long-serving chairman Ambrose Rachier for the position after Chris Omondi and Dan Oketch in 2016.
Between 2008 and 2015, Gor Mahia did not hold elections for the chairperson, and in 2020, Rachier won without any opposition.
Victor Omondi, who had previously received approval to run unopposed for vice-chairperson, now faces competition from Sally Bolo.
The list of candidates for the general secretary position has been reduced to just two following the withdrawal of radio presenter Joseph Ogidi, also known as Gidi Gidi, on Friday. As such, Sam Ochola will now seek to defend his seat against Nicanor Arum.
The list of nominees for the honorary treasurer remains unchanged, with Gerphas Okuku and Philip Nyakwana remaining the only candidates to show interest in the position.
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