Drama as Mike Sonko appeals Harambee Stars’ defeat to Madagascar
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 25.08.25. | 09:50
CAF could review the match officials’ performance and, if it finds violations of refereeing standards, take disciplinary action against them.
Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has lodged an official complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following Kenya’s elimination from the CHAN 2025 tournament.
Harambee Stars exited the competition last Friday after losing to Madagascar on post-match penalties, despite an unbeaten run in the group stage that saw them finish top of their pool and qualify for the quarterfinals.
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Controversy arose in the quarterfinal clash when Ryan Ogam’s strike, which would have doubled Kenya’s lead after Alphonce Omija had put them ahead, was ruled out for an alleged foul on a Malagasy defender. Many observers argued the contact was minimal, and the decision has since fueled heated debate among fans and pundits.
Sonko, insisting that the refereeing was unfair, has now taken the matter to CAF through his lawyer, advocate Kennedy Oduor Wanganya.
In the protest letter, Sonko’s lawyer cites Article 4.2.3 and Article 115 of the CHAN Regulations, arguing that the match officials’ decisions denied Kenya a fair chance of victory.
The complaint outlines three key points:
The officials exhibited bias and showed a preference toward Madagascar.
Two legitimate Kenyan goals were wrongly and illegally disallowed.
The referee failed to consult VAR or review the incidents with the necessary diligence expected of professional match officials.
“Our client and indeed the citizens of Kenya are aggrieved by the decisions of the match officials, which directly contributed to Kenya’s elimination from the quarterfinals,” the letter states.
The legal team has requested that CAF not ratify the match result, pending a thorough review of the referee and match commissioner reports, video recordings, and VAR footage.
Sonko’s lawyer further issued a 24-hour ultimatum for CAF to respond, warning that failure to act will force escalation to the CAF Disciplinary Board under Articles 10 and 11 of the CAF Statutes.
“Take notice that should we fail to receive your written decision on this complaint within 24 hours, we have firm instructions to lodge a formal protest before the CAF Disciplinary Board,” the letter concludes.
The lawyer also asked CAF to urgently share bank details so that the mandatory protest fees can be paid.
However, the protest is unlikely to have any significant impact. For one, the match was played to its full conclusion and the result formally recorded, making it extremely rare for CAF to overturn. Secondly, Sonko is neither a registered Football Kenya Federation (FKF) official nor a CAF member, meaning he lacks direct standing to file such a complaint on behalf of the national team.
At best, CAF could review the match officials’ performance and, if it finds violations of refereeing standards, take disciplinary action against them. The result of the match itself, however, is expected to stand.
