KENYAN REFEREES ON THE RISE: Cheruiyot CHAN appointment pleases FKF

GOTV Refere Davies Omweno(R) with his linesmen officiating AFC Leopards fans against of Sofapaka during the GOtv Shield Semi final at City Stadium, Nairobi on Monday 20/10/14.PHOTO.BONIFACE OKENDO

Football Kenya Federation has attributed the appointment of three of its referees to officiate at the Africa Nations Championship to sustained training of referees, instructors and the general discipline of the Kenya match officials.

Speaking after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) added assistant referee Gilbert Cheruiyot to the roster for the CHAN tournament that begins on Saturday, FKF Head of Technical Committee Elly Mukolwe said: “It is a pleasant surprise although going by what we have put in in terms of training and preaching the need to do things the right way, we can now see the fruits.”

Rising centre referee Davies Omweno and experienced Aden Marwa Range are the other two match officials.

Omweno, 31, is Elite A referee and is in line for selection to officiate at the Russia 2018 Fifa World Cup. Cheruiyot (Young talent) and Israel Mpaima (upcoming referee) have been identified by Caf as potential top officials together with assistant referee Peter Sabatia.

“The hard work is now paying off since we took over in 2011 we have trained 8 technical instructors and 2 physical instructors. Our referees, too, have reciprocated by working hard and upheld the ethics of the game,” Mukolwe said, yesterday.
He added: “Kenyan referees have been praised for their physical endurance as well as technical interpretation and application of the rules of the game. We now are among the top three countries in Africa having improved from position six in 2011.”

Mukolwe, NEC member for Western, also attributed the improving fortunes of the Kenyan referees to re-alignment of functions and appointments to the FKF Referees Committee.