Gor Mahia are racing against time to secure visas for their trip to South Africa for the CAF Confederation Cup return match against Supersport United Wednesday.
Application for the crucial travel documents was done by last week Monday but up-to this moment no player or official has been able get one.
“We have been at the South African embassy since morning but nothing still,” an official of the club who didn’t want to be named told Soka25east.
Gor were scheduled to travel tonight but that seems highly unlikely now.
In their application, the club attached recommendation letters from Supersport United, Ministry of Sports and the Football Kenya Federation.
It normally takes five working days to acquire a South African visa with all requirements in place.
South Africans on the other hand get visas on arrival in Nairobi.
Gor Mahia’s dependable offensive midfielder Francis Kahata’s application was out rightly rejected as he had only three leaves left on his passport.
So were those of Ivorian forward Emphem Guikan, Rwandan duo of Jacques Tuyisenge and Meddie Kagere, who had to avail their work permits before reapplying.
However, for Guikan and Tuyisenge, there was a further obstacle as according to the official; the embassy is demanding that they must have work permits of at least one year.
“We have since contacted Kenyan embassy in South Africa through the ministry of sports to intervene on our behalf. We have also informed the club patron, Raila Odinga, who is still in South Africa after attending Winnie Mandela’s burial as a government official on Saturday,” the official added.
Raila is Kenya’s opposition chief and long serving Gor’s patron.
Gor won the first leg of the encounter 1-0 and will need at least a draw of any kind or a 1-2 loss to sail through to the Confederation Cup group stage.
