‘Carry your own cross’ – FKF right to punish AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia – Shimanyula

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has supported the decision taken by Football Kenya Federation to punish both Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards after they skipped the Mashemeji derby on Saturday.

As a result of missing the derby at Thika Stadium, the two Kenyan giants have been docked three points each, AFC Leopards fined Ksh 6 million for being the home team and Gor Mahia Ksh 4 million as the away side. Their club bosses – Dan Shikanda and Ambrose Rachier – were handed provisional suspensions for two weeks pending a decision by the disciplinary committee.

Shimanyula has defended the federation for the decision they took blaming the two clubs for breaking the laws whereas they had been promised by the federation to wait for money on a certain date.

“Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards should carry their own cross, that is a problem they created on themselves, and they don’t have to blame anyone, it is their own mistake and they must accept it and toe the line,” Shimanyula told Goal on Monday.

What has been said?

“It was a big mistake not to honour a match, what they should have done is to play in the game and continue to push for their money, like Gor and AFC, my club [Homeboyz] have not received grants for the last three months but that did not stop us from playing against Kariobangi Sharks.

“I want to blame AFC chairman Shikanda for putting their team in a big mess, he is one person I told before the season started that we come together and fight Mwendwa and his office, but he turned his back against me and then went to support him [Mwendwa].

“I am happy now they are feeling the pain, they supported the re-election of Mwendwa when I was against it, it is only me, Rachier and Bob Munro, who were against the return of Mwendwa to manage football, but Shikanda never joined us to push him out, now he should carry his own cross.

“I stood alone because I knew football needed some change, we needed new blood to run the game but people like Shikanda decided to cross and support the regime which is now fighting clubs, I don’t want to join the fight, I am now happy to see what is happening.”

Shimanyula: Homeboyz will win the title

With the two teams being deducted points, Homeboyz have now moved to position four on the table and according to Shimanyula, their main focus now is to win the title.

“We have now moved to position four after the points deductions and my team is motivated to finish the season on a high, we want to win the title, we want to show FKF that Tusker did not deserve to go for Caf Champions League,” Shimanyula continued.

“We have four matches to end the season, and we will win all of them, the boys are psyched because they know we have prize money at the end of the season, we will do everything to win the title, it is coming home and I can assure you that.”