Zoo and Nakumatt kicked out of KPL: High Court says league should have only 16 teams

MATHARE UNITED VS KERICHO ZOO Kericho Zoo's Domnic Ouma (left) and Ronald Reagan of Mathare FC during KPL match at Ruaraka grounds on Saturday, Aug 19, 2017. [Jonah Onyango,Standard]

The Kenyan Premier League have suspended Zoo Kericho and Nakumatt from the competition with immediate effect.

This follows Thursday’s High Court ruling that declared the currently constituted 18-team league is illegal.

In a suit filed by former Football Kenya Federation chairman Sam Nyamweya, Justice John Mativo ruled that the league should consist of 16 teams and not 18 teams as directed by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) in March.

Nakumatt and Zoo, who are ranked 11th and 14th on the table standings after 25 rounds, were the beneficiaries of the expanded league after an impasse on the league’s format early in the year.

But following the court’s verdict, KPL Governing Council held a meeting yesterday and decided to suspend all league matches involving the two teams from this weekend.

Nakumatt were to travel to Western Stima tomorrow while Zoo were to host Nzoia Sugar in Kericho.

“Following service of the High Court Ruling issued on Thursday, September 21, 2017 in the matter of, Petition No. 59 of 2017, Sports Tribunal between Sam Nyamweya (Petitioner) and Sports Dispute Tribunal (1st Respondent), Football Kenya Federation (2nd Respondent), and Kenyan Premier League (3rd Respondent), as well as the KPL, Governing Council meeting held today, Friday, September 22 2017, wishes to confirm that in compliance to the court’s decision, Nakumatt Football Club and Zoo Football Club have been suspended from participating in the SportPesa Premier League,” read the statement.

KPL invoked article 28 (d) of the High Court ruling as part of the reason behind their decision.

“A declaration be and is hereby issued that Kenyan Premier League shall have a maximum of 16 teams during the 2017 season, consisting of the fourteen Kenyan Premier League teams which qualified for sporting merit on the field during the 2016 season plus the two highest ranked clubs at the end of the season in the Football Kenya Federation’s National Super League,” read the ruling.