Mwendwa admits no Caf date yet as battle with KPL rages

President FkF Nick Mwendwa and Isaac Juma at a final match between Upper Hill and St Anthony during the finals of Kenya Secondary School Sports Term 2B National Games at Nyeri Primary Moi Complex in Nyeri on Saturday, July 8, 2017. [PHOTO: Jonah Onyango/Standard]

AFC Leopards reads mischief in decision to end league as Kakamega Homeboyz head maintains action illegal.

The confusion over the conclusion of the Kenyan football season deepened yesterday as Nick Mwendwa appeared to suggest he was not sure of the Confederation of African Football’s deadlines to submit the names of league and cup winners.

Appearing on KTN Scoreline yesterday, Mwendwa explained that the fate of the FKF Cup was still under consideration, but insisted it was over for the Kenyan Premier League.

“We have clear rules on the leagues, but we are discussing what the rules are about the Cup. The cup needs one or two weekends to end. So, we want to know Caf’s last deadline; they’ve not sent that to us. If we can’t fulfill it then we won’t play. For example, if Caf’s deadline is June 15 and by then we can’t play, we will simply not enter a club for that competition,” said Mwendwa.

“But if they come to us and say the last date is the end of July, and we can have two weekends to conclude the Cup we can finish it. However, if Covid-19 is not solved by the time Caf wants the name, we will simply not enter a club for that competition.”

Mwendwa, who the Sports Disputes Tribunal ruled on March 17 that his mandate as FKF president had ended, took to tweeter on Thursday to declare Gor Mahia champions and also promoted two National Super League teams.

Both Gor (39 points) and City Stars (43 points-National Super League champions) were leading their respective leagues by the end of the first leg before the league was suspended in March with the duo still maintaining the lead. The two top tier leagues were each remaining with ten round of fixtures.

The KPL has resisted the move saying the decision rests with the league’s Governing Council while insisting Mwendwa had no legal mandate as his term ended on February 10.

However, Mwendwa’s explanation did not augur well with AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda, who has questioned the federation’s decision to cancel the league.

“The federation’s decision will always remain controversial. Caf just wanted an update on the situation of the league and not the champions. And even if that’s the case, I thought the names of the league and domestic cup winners are always submitted together at Caf,” Shikanda told Standard Sports.

“What’s the hurry of sending the name of league’s champions and not cup winners? Are these KPL teams not the same in the Cup? So when and where will they play if they are claiming the deadline of submitting the names are on May 5. I’m reading a lot of mischief in on that decision as FKF intentionally misinterpreted Caf’s letter on leagues’ status.”

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula warned Mwendwa to steer clear of KPL affairs.

“We have so much to deal with instead of introducing politics. Besides, Mwendwa is legally out of office. I wonder why we should even be debating this,” Shimanyula said.