Shabana fans to boycott Mara Sugar match

The club’s secretary general Elizaphan Kerema says the 5000-seater facility cannot accommodate their supporters and it is in the best interest to sit out the match to avoid crowd trouble.

“Awendo Stadium has significant limitations in its capacity to accommodate the large number of supporters expected for this match. With our fan base growing, we anticipate that the turnout may exceed safe limits. This poses serious security concerns for everyone in attendance, which cannot be overlooked.”

Kerema said their efforts to convince FKF and hosts Mara Sugar to switch the venue fell through.

“We previously communicated this concern to the host team through the appropriate regulatory body, requesting a change of venue to one that could better accommodate the numbers. Regrettably, the host has insisted on maintaining the match at the same venue,” he added.

Kerema further alleged that there has been an attempt to paint their fans in a bad light following a no-show of officials to officiate the aborted match against Posta Rangers on September 28.

The club faulted FKF for not providing resolution on the suspended fixture after the federation refuted claims it had directed match officials to boycott the match.

“…we believe it is in the best interest of our supporters to avoid attending the match. We understand that failure to address these issues could lead to further complications, including the potential postponement of the match, which would only serve to demoralise our loyal fans and undermine the spirit of the game.”

The FKF’s Leagues and Competitions Committee had earlier sanctioned the club to play five matches without crowd following fan trouble during the team's dramatic 2-2 draw with Ulinzi Stars at Ulinzi Complex on September 22.

The club however was granted stay orders by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT), a move that allowed their fans to attend the botched match against Posta Rangers.

The Gusii outfit were headed for their first win of the season when Ulinzi Stars late goal deep into stoppage time saw the teams share the spoils, and the soldiers’ equaliser is said to have fuelled the acts of hooliganism.

The fans accused match officials of being biased against their team.