Twaha: FKF in dire need of change to win back sponsors’ trust
Football
By
Odero Charles
| Aug 04, 2021
Kenyan football urgently needs to win back the trust of sponsors or it will suffer irreparable damage, if it hasn’t already, a sports administrator has said.
Twaha Mbarak was reacting to reports that FKF Premier League naming rights holders BetKing are on the verge of terminating the deal.
The news come on the back of the controversy surrounding Football Kenya Federation’s acquisition of a trophy said to have cost upwards of $50,000 dollars (Sh5m).
“There is just a lot going on in our game that is not right for our game,” Twaha said.
“We urgently need to win back the trust of sponsors otherwise the damage will be irreparable. When you get to a situation where your partners doubt, the clubs who are your members feel short-changed then you have no leadership that can be entrusted with the development of the game,” Twaha said.
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Regarding the FKF Premier League trophy reportedly acquired for over $50,000 (Sh5million) Twaha said the local game has no financial cushion to absorb such spending.
“We need to get our priorities right. At a time FKF has not remitted prize winnings to clubs, it is imprudent to spend Sh5million on a trophy – let alone the fact that the real cost of it is in question,” Twaha told Standard Sports.
The former FKF presidential aspirant accused the FA of rubbing salt on the clubs’ injury after AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia were docked three points and fined a combined Sh10million.
This even as FKF released Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards winnings on Wednesday.
Gor Mahia received the Sh2 million for winning the FKF Betway Cup.
“FKF is in the process of wiring the winning prize monies to runners-up AFC Leopards, third-placed Bidco United, and fourth-placed Equity's bank accounts,” FKF said in a statement.
Twaha, however, insisted that clubs should not be agitating for what is rightfully theirs.
“Why FKF would keep the club’s prize purse when they are already suffering financially is unexplainable,” Twaha said.