FKF, KPL split over ‘Mashemeji derby’: Harambee Stars ties with Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea reason for delay

SportPesa Shield Cup Football Federation of Kenya FKF president Nick Mwendwa watched by SportPesa CEO Karauri displays a draw during the Sportpesa Shield Cup draw at Intercontinental hotel hotel in Nairobi on Monday, May 21, 2018

Federation postpones AFC Leopards versus Gor Mahia match, league body insists the derby is on.

Trouble is brewing between the Football Kenya Federation   (FKF) and the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) ahead of Saturday’s Mashemeji Derby at Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega.

While FKF has called off the highly anticipated match involving the eternal rivals, AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia, to allow their players turn out for the national team, Harambee Stars in friendly matches against Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea on May 25 and 28 respectively, KPL have stood their ground saying the derby will go on as planned.

The two rivals have a combined 13 players for the Sebastien Migne coached side.

K’Ogalo is represented by goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch, Harun Shakava, Philemon Otieno, Joash Onyango, Humphrey Mieno, George Odhiambo and Francis Kahata while AFC Leopards have produced Michael Kibwage, Duncan Otieno, Whyvonne Isuza, Marvin Omondi, Dennis Sikhayi and Jafari Owiti.

Speaking during the launch of this year’s SportPesa Shield Cup, FKF president Nick Mwendwa said the derby has been postponed to allow the new national team coach to gauge his players.

Furthermore, the federation boss said Bukhungu Stadium cannot host the derby due to security concerns and the match will have to be postponed until Kasarani Stadium is re-opened.

The 60,000-seater facility will be closed down for one month to allow for renovation work to be completed.

 “The Harambee Stars coach wants all his best players available for the match against Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea.

“For that reason, we have agreed that the derby be postponed. All the other matches will go on,” said Mwendwa.

“Furthermore, Bukhungu Stadium is not the best venue to host a derby considering security concerns.  We want the derby to be played at Kasarani when the renovations are completed.”

Mwendwa further announced that from next year the SportPesa Premier League will revert to a new calendar.

However, in a swift rejoinder KPL Chief Executive Officer Jack Oguda said they cannot shelve the derby because the two national team’s friendlies do not fall within the Fifa calendar.

“According to us (KPL), the derby is still on because those friendly matches are not in the international calendar. The Federation wrote to us last Friday requesting us to reschedule this weekend’s matches involving Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Kariobangi Sharks, Posta Rangers, Mathare United, Ulinzi Stars and Wazito to allow Harambee Stars play their friendlies against Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea,” Oguda told The Standard Sports

“We wrote back to them yesterday morning (Monday) based on Fifa regulations, that players are only released on a Fifa coordinated international calendar. Meaning, this is not an obligation and we are unable to postpone the derby. If the clubs wish to release the players, they will entirely do so on voluntarily basis but that doesn’t mean the match has been postponed.”