Ronald Ngala to Gor Mahia players: We cannot be held at ransom anymore

A top Gor Mahia official has warned players against staging go-slows to demand unsettled dues.

Deputy Secretary General Ronald Ngala has exclusively revealed to Goal that they will not be held at ransom.

He condemned the recent actions by players to down tools over unpaid salaries and allowances.

On the eve of the team’s Caf Confederation Cup quarter-final first leg match against Renaissance Sportive Berkane of Morocco in Nairobi, Gor Mahia players boycotted training sessions on Friday and Saturday. They were demanding the winning bonuses from their previous Caf matches.

The players returned with just a few minutes to kick-off and lost the match 2-0. Now they face a daunting task to overturn the result when they play the North African side in the return leg on Sunday.

Ngala has now said that bonuses and allowances are just privileges that they give to the players.

“These are players under contract and are paid salaries as per their contracts and bonuses are just bonuses as the name suggests. They are not entitled to them, it is not their right but a privilege, so why stage a go-slow and boycott training?

“We told them we will pay their allowances and we don't want to peg things on games and that is what is hurting us. These boys are on salaries and we cannot be held at ransom that before they play in any match, they have to be paid. They are under contract and they should honour it,” Ngala told Goal.

Ngala has also revealed that the club is finding a solution to the problem.

“We are conducting our investigations and action will be taken to whoever is found responsible.

“We have to stop this and to do that we have to get to the root of the matter and take the necessary action on the culprits. I think the situation is getting out of hand now and it has to be dealt with once and for all.”

K'Ogalo will now face RS Berkane on Sunday.