PARALLEL LEAGUES: FKF ‘fires’ KPL, forms body to run League as both set kick-off dates

From Left- Sofapaka FC Chairman Elly Kalekwa, FKF President Sam Nyamweya, CEO KPL Jack Oguda and Ambrose Rachier Chairman Gor Mahia consult after emerging from a meeting with FKF National Executive Council to discuss the violence that engulfed the KLP match against Gor in Machakos last sunday on Tuesday, October 28th. 2014. Photo/Jonah Onyango.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has taken back the mandate to run the country’s top league from the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) after talks with the body broke down yesterday.

FKF announced that their premier league of 18 teams will kick off on February 14. But KPL had earlier announced in their website they were no longer interested in negotiations on the number of teams that will participate in the KPL.

KPL had announced earlier that their own league will kick off on February 21 and accused FKF of acting in bad faith in regard to negotiations that were going on to end the stalemate over the composition of the 2015 top league. FKF’s statement came after KPL said, among other things, that the decision to maintain 16 teams was non-negotiable.

In the statement, KPL said: “Our Governing Council met last Saturday and unanimously confirmed that the 2015 season will have 16 teams and in future we will only consider proposals to reduce the number of teams.”

The company said their main reason for doing so is to help improve the performance of Kenyan national teams, which will be spared congested fixtures and therefore have less injuries leading to a rise in their competitive level.

“Consequently, to avoid moving backwards rather than forward, in the future KPL will only consider proposals to reduce the number of teams,” said the statement.

They further claimed that FKF had acted in bad faith during their recent discussions with Fifa and KPL by leaking confidential documents to ‘friendly journalists’ who ‘flagrantly misrepresented the discussions that even the Fifa officials complained’.

They also accuse FKF of ignoring the recommendations of a Fifa consultant that the league be maintained at 16 teams.

The KPL also waded into the Nationwide league which they claim had been run unprofessionally and as a result will maintain the current 16 teams until the ‘intergrity of the promotions are verified’.

In their statement FKF said they are dismayed that the talks have collapsed and that KPL have said they are no longer interested in any negotiations.

“In view of the above, FKF gives directions as follows: “That the Premier League shall be known as FKF Premier League, comprising 18 teams from 2015 and will be run by participating clubs.

“FKF has already secured a sponsor for the FKF Premier League guaranteeing each team Sh9 million as annual grant. The FKF Premier League shall be the only recognised top flight league in Kenya in compliance with Fifa/CAF/FKF statutes.”

The federation will present this resolutions to its delegates at a Special General Meeting (SGM) to be held tomorrow in Kakamega. Earlier, a meeting that was to resolve the issue failed to kick off after KPL officials walked away when FKF did not table a report from Fifa that was to form a basis for the discussion.