Shabana facing financial crisis amidst leadership wrangles

Ushuru FC's Hesbon Onchiri (left) and Bob Mugalia of Shabana FC during NSL Match at Ruaraka grounds on Friday, Jan 11, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

National Super League side Shabana FC is facing uncertainty as the financial sponsorship it received from State House in 2020 runs out amid leadership wrangles that have taken toll of the Kisii-based team.

This is after a splinter group led by Vice-chairman Nyandoro Kambi took over the club’s leadership following elections that Chairman Jared Nivaton has dismissed as illegitimate.

Nyandoro was elected as the chairman three months ago with Wycliffe Ayienda deputising him after the polls that were overseen by the team’s Kisumu branch official Moses Saidi.

Elizaphan Kerama and Bosire Anyona were elected unopposed as Secretary General and Treasurer respectively.

In the arrangement that Nivaton has disputed, Kerama succeeded Peter Omwando while Anyona replaced Evans Kibagendi.

Long-serving official Stephen Kiama retained his position as the Organising Secretary and will be deputised by Wesley Mokua. Selina Nyaboke is the club’s new Vice-treasurer while Kerubo Momanyi is the Public Relations Officer.

Wilfred Riang’a, Alfred Ocharo and Simon Oriosa were appointed as committee members.

But according to Nivaton, only the Chairman and the Secretary General are constitutionally mandated to call for elections.

Kambi accused Nivaton of being absent for long not committed to club’s affairs. He said the elections were necessitated by a leadership vacuum at the former FKF Premier League giants.

“I wanted to concentrate on my parliamentary ambition. But we could not sit and watch the club go down to lower league because the Chairman was absent for almost a year now,” Kambi said.

But when contacted, Nivaton said his absence was as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and he had resorted to run affairs of the outfit remotely.

“But we all know any election has to be preceded by an Annual General Meeting. It never happened and the Registrar of Boards has not approved of the developments,” said Nivaton.

Apart from the leadership issues, the club is also struggling with finances as the Sh6 million full-year funding by President Uhuru Kenyatta has elapsed.

During the 2020 Mashujaa Day celebrations that were held in Kisii, President Uhuru Kenyatta donated a bus to the team plus a one year sponsorship which, according to Nivaton will be running out in a month’s time.

Nivaton said the club is only remaining with Sh500,000 in their accounts. 

Nyandoro also on his part said the club was in a financial crisis and was planning strategic interventions of raising money to fund their activities this season.

“We have tried our best to maintain players at the camp. And now that the team has to hire a home ground, the cost is going to be even higher and in a month, we would require like Sh1.5 million to honour the games,” Kambi said.

Three weeks ago, Nyandoro visited the team at their Gusii Stadium training grounds and assured them of a smooth run into the season.

Nivaton on his part said he will visit the team this weekend ahead of their 2021/22 season opener against Mara Sugar in Awendo on Sunday.