Kenya leagues rendered null and void
Mixed reactions yesterday met Football Kenya Federation (FKF) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting resolutions that rendered all the leagues played last season null and void.
The federation’s meeting was the first one since they were reinstated by new Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba last week after staying in the cold for a year following their disbandment by the previous CS Amina Mohamed for allegations of misappropriation of funds.
The meeting was chaired by FKF vice president Dorris Petra at the re-opened federation headquarters Kandanda House on Wednesday and came up with several resolutions that included the naming of the dates the new season would kick-off, which has been set for November 19.
“2021/2022 FKF Premier League, National Super League, Women Premier League, Men’s Division One and Women’s Division One leagues are null and void,” read the statement.
It added: “No promotion or relegation in the FKF Premier League, National Super League and Women Premier League.”
This means that Tusker’s win of the league title and the relegations and promotions recommended no longer hold water.
The announcement brought back smiles on the faces of Mathare United and Vihiga Bullets who had allegedly relegated been relegated by the Caretaker Committee that had been appointed to run the sport by Amina Mohamed. Fifa had clearly indicated that they didn’t recognise the Caretaker Committee and urged the former CS to reinstate the FKF NEC and Secretariat to enable the lifting of the suspension.
“We are happy at Vihiga Bullets not because we have survived relegation, but because the right thing has been done. I support the decision fully because everything must be done according to the law,” Vihiga Bullets’ patron Moses Akaranga told People Daily.
He added: “ Fifa is a serious organisation and we all play football under their laid down rules, the former Sports CS totally mislead Kenyans and her wrong decisions have really caused the sport to suffer, not to mention the players and technical bench officials.”
Akaranga called on the government to use the Sports Fund to help run the league and all participating teams, saying that with the current lack of sponsors, most clubs in the league would not be able to honour some matches if the support wouldn’t come through.
“I’m extremely happy with the appointment of Ababu Namwamba as the new Sports CS because he is someone who understands the sport and is also a fan. The government should now try as much as possible to fund the league through the Sports Fund to help most teams without sponsors to continue operating and honour matches,” he said.
Meanwhile, clubs yesterday were running round the clock registering their players and identifying their home match venues ahead of today’s release of the new season fixtures in anticipation of the lifting of the suspension by the world football governing body Fifa next week.
The league is expected to end in July.
