Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has taken a bold step after Kenya’s Harambee Stars were eliminated from the 2024 CHAN quarter-finals by Madagascar.
He is calling for the match to be replayed, arguing that the officiating was unfair and violated the principles of fair play.
According to Sonko, the referee and his team displayed outright bias that cost Kenya the chance to move to the semi-finals, something he believes should not go unchallenged.
In a petition submitted to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) under Article 43 of its Statute, Sonko highlights several issues with how the match was handled. He claims that Kenya had two goals disallowed unfairly without any review through the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
Neither the team captains nor the coaches were consulted on the decisions, which he says goes against proper procedure. For him, this was not just poor officiating but a breach of the rules and ethics that govern international football.
Part of his petition reads, “The conduct by the match officials in the Kenya versus Madagascar quarter-final game is greatly prejudicial to the Republic of Kenya and contravenes the spirit of sportsmanship, loyalty, integrity, and ethics.” Through his lawyer Arnold Oginga, Sonko has argued that CAF’s own Code defines match officials broadly, including referees, assistant referees, commissioners, inspectors, and other staff chosen by CAF or FIFA.
He insists all of them carry joint responsibility for what happened and that their decisions worked together to deny Kenya a fair chance at victory.
Sonko is not only seeking justice for the team but also for the country, which had rallied behind Harambee Stars during their impressive run in the competition.
Among the remedies he wants is the cancellation of the decision to disallow Kenya’s goals and the annulment of the penalty shootout result that saw Madagascar advance with a 4-3 win.
He also asks that the match be awarded to Kenya outright, but in the alternative, he is pushing for a full replay of the quarter-final.
Beyond the outcome of the game, the petition further calls for disciplinary action against the referee and other officials who were in charge.
Sonko believes they breached CAF’s Code of Conduct and Statutes and should be reprimanded to protect the integrity of the tournament.
His move highlights growing frustration over the standards of officiating in African football, which often spark controversy and accusations of bias.Kenya’s journey in the African Nations Championship had been inspiring, with fans believing the team could go even further.
However, the dramatic loss at Kasarani on Friday night left many feeling robbed of what could have been a historic moment. Whether CAF will grant Sonko’s request remains uncertain, but his petition has already stirred debate on fairness and accountability in continental football.
