As John C. Maxwell said, ” A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Perhaps this is the philosophy Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier is planning to use as he looks forward to retiring from his position at the club come December.
The football world was shocked upon hearing the intention of Ambrose Rachier to retire from his role at the end of the year.
This means that K’Ogalo will have to go for an election in December to elect another chairman who will take charge of the club after Rachier.
The Kenyan giants will now face an uphill task of looking for a leader who will fit the shoes of Rachier owing to the fact that the club is at the peak and only good leadership will make them consistent.
As he leaves the club, Rachier will be remembered for reviving the club and end their 18-year wait for a Kenyan Premier league title claiming the coveted gong in 2013 and have since gone on to monopolise the competition, winning it six times under his watch besides bagging two KPL Top Eight titles, a further four KPL Super Cups and two domestic cups.
Since then K’Ogalo have made appearances at the continental football every year bar in 2017, reaching the quarterfinals of the Caf Confederations Cup this term.
In fact, his stint has seen the Green Army win a three-peat twice, first three-peat in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the second in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Gor will only maintain their strength and glory if they elect a good leader who will match the current one.
For that reason, Rachier has announced a major revamp of the club’s constitution to ensure that the process of election and transition of power becomes smooth. But he has insisted that he will not be going for reelection.
“My position is that we’re going through the constitution-making process which should be concluded in June. I estimate that we will need another six months to put everything in place and by December, in my estimation, we should have elections.
He added: “What I’m saying is that I won’t offer myself for re-election at the end of the year in the next election.
“We will be looking for some window period…to hold elections so that it doesn’t interfere with the team,” he said.
Significance of proper election
Good management always result to order in a club which in turn brings good performance.
Let’s draw our example from AFC Leopards. Leopards were once shining in the Kenya Premier League alongside Gor Mahia. In fact, they are the two Kenyan clubs that have lifted the KPL trophy more than ten times.
The downfall of ‘Ingwe’ began when they started experiencing leadership wrangles. The poor leadership has dragged Leopards to the dust the club that was once towering above all now cannot even make it to top three.
AFC is a clear warning to Gor and they may experience the same challenges should they mess around with their elections.