Some Gor fans don’t love soccer

By Anil Bakari

It’s been a long time since Gor Mahia fans stoned motorists, engaged in fistfights and destroyed property.

Perhaps this calls for nightlong celebrations, since this is a first.

But I guess the calm is because the team has been on a winning and drawing streak, which, according to the fans, is an acceptable record.

However, the ‘peace’ they are exhibiting does not mean that the fans, who claim to be the most loyal in the Premier League, are not behaving badly after attending matches.

It is only that they may not be doing worse things that can propel them to national ignominy.

The time was about 7.15pm. The venue was the city centre near the Tom Mboya statue along Moi Avenue. A group of Gor fans, who had attended a match between the club and Western Stima at City Stadium, were at the statue doing their usual ‘rituals’.

For starters, the fans always congregate at the statue after Gor matches to ‘pray’. Most of them kneel as they chant incantations. Thereafter, they spend hours idling at the site.

On this day, the fans, numbering about 20, had finished the ‘rituals’ and were loitering or harassing female pedestrians to be precise.

handbag

A young woman was walking past the statue when about seven fans mobbed her demanding to see what she was carrying in her huge handbag.

“Kwani umebeba mtoto?” (Are you carrying a baby?) “Lazima tujue nini iko ndani. Hii bag ni kubwa sana.” (We must know what is inside this bag. It is too big).

Left with no choice, the young woman screamed loudly, attracting the attention of passers-by. It is then that the Gor fans dispersed.

But the madness did not stop there. Minutes later, they started hurling insults at female pedestrians. Their victims did not answer back.

Gentlemen, they say, never inflict pain. For the love of the game, Gor Mahia fans, who believe they are special, must strive to be gentlemen.

Gor can win the Super 8 Cup, the Premier League title and other championships, but without their fans behaving well, the club will not win respect. Unfortunately, Gor’s problematic fans never listen.