Fkf to unveil azam tv as federation's NEC members close ranks in support of Nyamweya over league expansion

FKF will officially launch their partnership with Azam tomorrow at a Nairobi Hotel in a deal that also involves a local television channel. According to details of the deal, Azam will produce the live matches and the same will be televised by the local television channel.

The deal has been made possible after MP&Silva, who bought rights to broadcast the FKF Premier League, signed a two-year deal with Azam TV last Thursday.

According to General Manager Martin Abuya, the regional media giant will broadcast the first match of the league on March 28, 2015, with plans to partner with a local media house to transmit the matches on the free-to-air platform.

“This is a major step for us in our mission to bring football content to the people of East Africa. We are very happy to be here because Kenya is a major market and getting rights for the premier league is big for us,” he said, emphasising the importance of a free-to-air channel: “Kenyans want to watch the game and we are in the business of ensuring we can deliver that even on the FTA platform, hence our desire to get a local station to broadcast at least one match.”

Only last month, Azam TV were awarded rights by Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) to broadcast the Ugandan Premier League.

The Ugandan deal is worth US$1.9 million.

Azam TV service was created in Tanzania with African viewers in mind. It was officially launched in Tanzania on December 16, 2013. In just under a year, it has sold more than 150,000 full decoder kits.

Elsewhere, Football Kenya Federation's National Executive Committee members have closed ranks, a day after FeverPitch revealed growing unease within the association over its handling of the expansion of the league.

In a statement signed by all NEC members, except Nyanza representative Tom Alila and Western’s Elly Mukolwe and Ahmed Siad Mohamed ‘Mulla’ who were signed for, FKF dismissed reports of discord within it.

“For the record, the NEC decisions are binding to all members of the federation and the same are discussed in a free and participatory environment where members take individual and collective responsibility,” the statement read.

FeverPitch revealed yesterday there was disenchantment within the FKF NEC with some of the officials accusing federation's president Sam Nyamweya of not consulting them, and instead embarking on lone-ranger tactics in their battle against disgruntled clubs in the Kenyan Premier League.

But yesterday after their meeting, the NEC officials came out in support of the president, saying, “We remain united and steadfast in the execution of our mandate under the leadership of Mr Sam Nyamweya, in whom we have full confidence and fully back.”

They added: “The notion that FKF has lost several court cases to KPL is inaccurate because the matter is alive and substantively in court.”