The former Nairobi governor has lodged a CAF complaint over disputed refereeing decisions that marred Kenya’s CHAN quarterfinal loss to Madagascar.

The quarterfinal clash between Kenya and Madagascar in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) ended in heartbreak for the host nation, with a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat following a 1-1 draw.

However, the result has been overshadowed by widespread controversy surrounding the officiating, with many Kenyan fans and commentators crying foul.

The primary points of contention revolve around two key moments in the match. The first was a disallowed goal for Kenya’s Ryan Ogam early in the second half.

Ogam appeared to have doubled Kenya’s lead with a well-taken finish, but the Senegalese referee, Adelbert Diouf, chalked off the goal, citing a foul in the build-up.

Replays suggested the foul was minimal, and the decision was widely viewed as soft and unjust, denying Kenya what would have been a crucial two-goal cushion.

Later in the game, controversy struck again when Madagascar was awarded a penalty. The decision came after Kenyan defender Lewis Bandi was judged to have handled the ball in the box.

While the ball did strike the arm, the call was deemed harsh by many, and Madagascar converted the penalty to level the scores.

These decisions have ignited a firestorm of debate, with accusations of bias and incompetence directed at the match officials.

The controversy has been so significant that it has even led to former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko filing a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), challenging the outcome and calling for a review of the officiating.

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has officially challenged the outcome of the controversial Kenya vs. Madagascar CHAN quarterfinal match by filing a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

In his petition, he is alleging that the officiating was biased and directly led to Kenya’s elimination. In a post shared on the Sonko Rescue Team Facebook page, Mike Sonko justified his reasons to appeal.

In one of the copies of the letter he shared, Mike Sonko’s legal team, from Wanyanga Advocates, specifically cited the disallowed second goal for Kenya’s Ryan Ogam. They argue that the decision was a clear violation of fair play and unfairly robbed the team of a crucial lead.

The complaint also targets the penalty awarded to Madagascar, which led to the equalising goal. The petition claims the call was ‘harsh’ and contributed to Kenya’s loss.

Further, the appeal seeks specific actions with the lawyers asking the CAF Disciplinary Board to suspend the progression of the tournament, including the semi-final fixture between Madagascar and Sudan, until the matter is heard and determined.

“Our client and indeed the citizens of Kenya are aggrieved by the decision of the match officials, which decision culminated in the Kenyan team losing its quarter finals match against Madagascar,” the letter further reads.

“Our client thus invites you NOT TO homologate the match between Madagascar and Kenya on account of this Complaint letter served upon you.

“Further, our client invites you to review the written reports of the referee, the assistant referees and/or the match commissioner and/or any other official designated by the CAF, the match recording and the VAR with a view of making a just decision in line with the rules of fair play.”

The lawyers stated that if they did not receive a written decision on the complaint within 24 hours of its receipt, they had firm instructions to lodge a formal complaint with the Disciplinary Board under Articles 10 and 11 of the CAF Statute.

They added that they were awaiting a prompt decision on the protest and requested the bank account details needed to pay the requisite fees to accompany the protest and complaint. The incident has once again brought the issue of refereeing standards in African football into sharp focus.