Football academies to register with Football Kenya Federation

By GILBERT WANDERA

Players train at Fisa Academy. FKF wants all academies to seek fresh registration. [PHOTO:PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has given local academies one month to get accreditation or they will be declared illegal.

The academies have until April 30 to confirm their registration and accreditation status.

In a statement, FKF Chairman Sam Nyamweya said the process will be carried out in accordance with the federation’s code of ethics, which among other things takes into consideration factors like coaching, facilities and other football related matters.

“The guidelines must be adhered to before any of the academies receive accreditation and recognition by FKF,” said Nyamweya.

The federation has established a task force comprising of Robert Asembo, Elly Mukolwe, Jacob Mulee and Michael Esakwa to oversee the accreditation process.

“Those running academies must therefore get in touch with the federation to get clearance before expiry of the ultimatum,” he said.

Nyamweya underlined that the directive is meant to bring under their supervision the running of academies, which he claimed, has been left to individuals masquerading as football experts.

“Some of this people have conned parents in the guise of helping their children seek greener pastures abroad. We are determined to sort it out once and for all,” he said.

The emergence of academies all over the country has been necessitated by the void left after clubs and FKF failed to put in place functional youth structures.

Most of this academies charge parents money to train their children and the poor can’t afford. Their operation is not streamlined and this poses the risk of exploitation and manupulation by the hungry.

The academies have no  regulation and the new directive is most likely to rein on them under the FKF umbrella and help prevent proliferation of such institutions.

Among the most famous academies in Nairobi include Ligi Ndogo, Fisa, Ujuzi, JMJ and Liberty Academy, which is associated with former national team coach Jacob Mulee.