By FEVERPITCH TEAM
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| A section of Sofapaka FC players. [PHOTO:FILE/STANDARD] |
Trouble is brewing at Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Sofapaka following reports that players are planning to boycott their weekend match against Gor Mahia to protest against non-payment of salaries.
Sources in the team told Feverpitch that the players have not been paid for the last two months and they are not ready to continue giving their services without the club honouring its obligations.
“We have had enough and if nothing happens between now and Saturday, we will not turn up for the match against Gor Mahia,” said the sources who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation.
Coach Sam Timbe, however, declined to comment on the reports insisting that the team is continuing with their training as usual.
“The players are here with me in training. I am not qualified to comment on such reports because it is not my work. Only the management can comment on the same,” he said.
Sofapaka Secretary General Emmanuel Kayoyi admitted they owe the players but insisted they are working on paying them soon.
“It is true we owe them (players) but we are determined to pay as soon as possible. We always pay even though when there are delays sometimes,” he said.
Uncertain future
Elsewhere, Sofapaka defensive midfielder Johnstone Bagoole and fullback Thomas Wanyama are facing uncertain future at the club after missing several training sessions, FeverPitch can reveal.
The Ugandan has reportedly been withdrawn from the club by his agent over unpaid debt of the player’s transfer fees, while Wanyama allegedly travelled to Sweden two weeks ago to see his girlfriend.
Bagoole, who has been a regular for Batoto Ba Mungu since penning a two year deal in June 2013, last featured for the club in their emphatic 3-0 win over Kenya Revenue Authority on 23 March, but his Kenyan counterpart has only made a few appearances for the Sam Timbe trained side.
refuted claims
However, in an interview with FeverPitch, Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa refuted the claims and explained why the pair is not in the country.
“It’s true we owe Bagoole’s agent some money, but we had agreed to settle the arrears next month. Bagoole was not feeling well and wanted some time to recover,” Kalekwa told FeverPitch.
“He also had a family matter to attend to, but we’ve been in contact with the player and we expect him before the end of the week. So those two issues are not related at all,”added Kalekwa.
“Wanyama is out of the country for trials in Sweden and Norway. He still has a two- year contract with the club, but we permitted him to attend the trials. He left the country thirteen days ago and we wish him all the best.”
Asked on how soon the off-season signings, the Burundian duo of Abdul Fiston and Celestine Habonimana will make their KPL debut, Kalekwa said: “We’ve finalised with their respective clubs, but unfortunately the transfer window is closed. We don’t want to risk fielding them without valid transfer documents.”
“They (Fiston and Habonimana) are currently training with the club as we wait for their International Transfer Certificates to be issued on June 1 when the window officially opens,” added the Sofapaka President.
