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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

KPL faced many hurdles before finally kicking off

Football

By Gilbert Wandera | Mar 11, 2017

**Tusker Fc celebrate after beating Gor Mahia 1-0 to emerge the KPL Champions 2016 at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, Nov 19, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]**

The Kenyan Premier League (KPL) finally kicks off this weekend after weeks of uncertainty.

The competition starts after more than a month delay following a stand-off between the KPL and Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

It all started last year when KPL obtained an injunction barring FKF from discussing the size of the league at its Annual General Meeting.

The league company filed a case at the Sports Tribunal barring such discussions which would have expanded the size of the league to 18 teams.

But when the matter was concluded, the tribunal ruled that FKF have a right to determine the composition of the top tier league.

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After that ruling, both parties had to negotiate on the increased cost of running an expanded competition and FKF were asked to provide the additional Sh38 million needed for this purpose.

Even before this could be implemented, FKF announced that two KPL clubs, Sofapaka and Muhoroni Youth will not be licensed and therefore ineligible for top tier competition.

This announcement provided a fresh round of wrangling between the two bodies as KPL insisted that the league would go on with the two teams even releasing fixtures that included the two relegated sides.

But FKF hit back and postponed the league forcing fans of the two affected clubs to rush to the High Court where they obtained temporary orders barring the federation from relegating them.

The orders were however set aside when the matter came up for mention one week later and with that KPL released fixtures excluding them as the matter is still pending before the tribunal.

The tribunal will make a ruling on March 15 on whether the two clubs will be allowed to take part in the top tier league despite failing to get a licence.

Should they fail in their bid, then KCB and Vihiga United will take up their places for an 18-team league this season.