KPL AWARDS FURY: Coaches now say list ‘doctored’, players told to pay bribes

Gor Mahia Dan Sserunkuma(L) and Johnson Bagole of Sofapaka hang for the ball during their KPL match at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos county on Sunday 26/10/14.PHOTOBONIFACE OKENDO

The Kenyan Premier League Footballer of the Year Awards selection of winners almost ran into a snag amid allegations of behind-the-scenes lobbying, clandestine meetings and peppered with frayed tempers, FeverPitch can authoritatively reveal.

By 2pm yesterday, four hours to the Gala, the final list had not been agreed on by the 16 KPL coaches because the panellists were at one point given time off to “cool down emotions”.

“We had to take time off to allow tempers to cool down,” multiple sources within the elite coaches body told FeverPitch.

“It is unfortunate that, as coaches, we showed open bias yet we are the technical people entrusted with this important exercise to reward deserving players,” the source said.

KPL top scorer with 16 goals, Uganda’s Dani Sserunkuma, inexplicably failed to make the short-list of the Best Player award.

FeverPitch understands his exclusion and other nominations have raised eyebrows, leading to the stand-off just hours before the awards ceremony.

“A section of coaches want a thorough investigation launched into a clandestine meeting some coaches reportedly held to discuss how they would vote,” the source said.

Disquiet has been building up over the years, especially that KPL Foya winners, except with Sserunkuma in 2012, have failed to replicate their talent in subsequent seasons.

Winning a category attracts Sh100,000 bounty, runners-up Sh75,000, while the third-placed go home with Sh50,000.

Sources, who cannot be named for fear of retribution, allege that some coaches have in the past approached nominated players to “declare what they would part with in return for their vote”.

An official of KPL champions, Gor Mahia, who also did not want to be named, said the latest stand-off does not surprise him.

“There have been issues which may have now boiled over. Some coaches allege the list has been doctored. It has exploded,” he said.

At the end of every season, the 16 KPL coaches meet to draw up a list of five nominees in every players’ category after lengthy deliberation followed by a voting process.

On the day of the Awards ceremony, the coaches return to finalise the top three winners in those categories. It was not immediately clear what the sticky issues were.