Orphaned Stars: FKF boss says 42 sponsors have turned down our boys

FKF boss Nick Mwendwa [Courtesy]

Nick Mwendwa has admitted that his administration is finding it difficult to woo sponsors to support the national team-Harambee Stars.

The Football Kenya Federation boss partly blames the predicament on FIFA regulation prohibiting all football teams participating in international tournaments from having the names of the sponsors on the jerseys.

The World Football governing body brought the despotic regulation into force to protect the integrity of the sport and the exclusivity of the official sponsors of the events.

Mwendwa now claims that the federation has approached over 40 potential sponsors but none is willing to commit even a dime on the team.

“We have approached 42 sponsors so far, but none is willing to come on board because there is no visibility. This is a major challenge because potential sponsors do shy away for they get no value for money,” noted Mwendwa who further revealed that the Federation is working on a plan to centralise the sponsorship package from 2022 to attract potential partners. 

has admitted that his administration is finding it difficult to woo sponsors to support the national team [Courtesy]

The situation now leaves the National team entirely dependent on the government to settle players’ allowances besides paying Coach Sebastien Migne and his technical bench a whopping Sh3 million a month.

But lack of financial accountability in local sports federations could ruin this relationship after the Ministry of Sports made it clear to sports bosses recently that they risk losing the little money they receive from the Exchequer unless they account for every coin given to them by the Ministry.

But the big question that got both the FKF and the Ministry on a flat foot is how the federation continues to receive funds from the government, yet their bank account are currently under lock and key by the Kenya Revenue Authority.