Shikanda has proposed moving the Mashemeji Derby to Tanzania or Uganda due to the unavailability of a suitable venue in Kenya.
AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda wants the highly anticipated Mashemeji Derby to be moved to Tanzania or Uganda due to the unavailability of a suitable venue in Kenya.
The fixture, which was originally scheduled for November 23 last year, has faced repeated postponements, leaving uncertainty over where the match will be played.
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Shikanda, whose team is set to host their arch-rivals Gor Mahia, has expressed his frustration over the lack of an appropriate venue, insisting that playing at unsuitable grounds is not an option.
“We may not play at Kasarani and I can’t accept that the fixture to be staged at Dandora or Kenyatta, in Machakos because these venues cannot stage such a big fixture,” he said on Tuesday in an interview with Nation.
Shikanda’s concerns stem from the fact that Kasarani, a 60,000-seater stadium that would have been the ideal choice remains under renovation rendering it unfit for the derby.
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Nyayo Stadium, another possible venue, is also unavailable as it is subject to approval by the CHAN Local Organizing Committee.
“How would you move the canopy at Kasarani which is a construction site? As of now, the game is scheduled for Sunday but there is no venue and I don’t know where we will play. Let FKF plan so that we can play in Tanzania or Uganda where Harambee Stars staged their matches,” added Shikanda.
The proposal to move the match to a neighboring country has sparked debate among fans and football stakeholders.
The Mashemeji Derby, one of the biggest football spectacles in East Africa, attracts thousands of passionate supporters from both AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia.
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Postponed AFC Leopards clash vs Gor Mahia clash has been moved from the originally slated Nyayo Stadium.
However, the possibility of staging the match outside the country could pose logistical challenges, especially in terms of travel for fans.
Shikanda maintains that waiting for a suitable venue in Kenya is not an option.
“We can use Nyayo but that has to be decided by the CHAN Local Committee though it is highly unlikely. For now, as a home team, we have just to wait and if there is no convenient venue then the fixture will be postponed again or we go to Tanzania or Uganda,” he stated.
This is not the first time the Mashemeji Derby has been affected by venue challenges.
Last year, the fixture was postponed for similar reasons, frustrating both teams and their supporters.
FKF now faces mounting pressure to make a decision before the scheduled match date this Sunday.