Nyamweya: Painful to watch KPL on its deathbed

FILE: KPL's Ambrose Rachier, left, FIFA representative Kwesi Nyantakyi and President FKF Sam Nyamweya during a reconciliatory meeting between FKF and KPL at Hotel Norfolk, Nairobi, on Monday, March 23rd, 2015. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO.

Former FKF president and founding member of the Kenyan Premier League faults Ambrose Rachier’s silence and federation with no moral authority.

Standard Sports: The Kenyan Premier League is in a meltdown, clubs giving away walkovers because of financial reasons. Sony Sugar have already been kicked out of the league. Chemelil Sugar are a match away from being dropped. Does that concern you as a founding member of KPL?

Sam Nyamweya: It is a very worrying situation. Not only to me, but many Kenyans and fans are concerned. The KPL is dying. Unless a miracle happens, in the next few months we will not be having KPL. It is a very strange turn of events despite us laying very strong foundations for KPL even without money. Leadership was very strong and whenever we had issues we used to sit down very often to sort out those problems. But what I am seeing now is there is a problem with either club members, the KPL and the Football Kenya Federation. I am wondering what my friend Ambrose Rachier, who is the KPL chairman is doing about it because the league is going to collapse in his hands. He should stand up and call for an urgent meeting of KPL clubs to chart the way forward. One of the saddest moments is that Sony FC is gone after failing to honour three matches. It is a matter of time before others like Chemelil Sugar face the same fate.

Standard Sports: What, in your view, is the disconnect?

Nyamweya: First, it is the leadership of the federation. The president of the FKF is unable to sit down with the clubs and find solutions to the serious issues affecting the league. It is the responsibility of the president and KPL board, but if you look at the last four years the KPL and FKF have not been talking sufficiently with each other. They have only had two or three joint executive meetings. If you don’t sit down and discuss then you are likely to end up in the sort of problems we are having today.

Standard Sports: What would be the reason for FKF and KPL not sitting down and come up with solutions to alleviate the financial problems?

Nyamweya: It is the responsibility of both Rachier as KPL chairman to and FKF president. However, Rachier should also know the league body has an agreement to run the top tier competition independently. He must show leadership now that FKF is not.

Standard Sports: What about the club chairmen? Have they also failed to put KPL and FKF on their toes regarding this problem?

Nyamweya: It is time they also woke up. Rachier should wake up and fight for the clubs. Failing which the clubs and the league will definitely collapse.

Standard Sports: What could be the immediate solution to the financial problems?

Nyamweya: FKF should reconsider the 18-team format but they must first sit together and discuss.

Standard Sports: But you also wanted the league expanded…

Nyamweya: We had financial cushion. We had a broadcast rights holder in Supersport. MP&Silva were coming in to help to sell the league’s Free to Air property. The condition was we were to expand the league based on the expected financial guarantees. But the idea was fought. At the time I thought they had a better idea only for them to expand the league without financial backing. The consequences are there for all to see.

Supersport ran away. MP&Silva were not given the chance to execute the plan even after they had started giving clubs in the lower league Sh1million a month. The situation has not been helped by the exit of SportPesa, which is a different discussion altogether.

Standard Sports: Now that is water under the bridge. What needs to be done urgently to save the situation?

Nyamweya: The government through the National Sports Fund is the ideal partner now. I strongly believe KPL clubs can each be advanced up to Sh30million directly without going through the KPL as they re-organise themselves. However, that cannot happen now because of a lack of leadership.

Standard Sports: So, who can champion this suggestion? KPL? FKF?

Nyamweya: We have a bigger problem because the person, who is supposed to do that is the FKF president, who is having serious issues with the government regarding accountability of millions of shillings advanced to them. Most recently, questions have been raised about the legitimacy of invoices surrounding Harambee Stars’ expenditures? Do you think he has the moral authority to go back to the same government to champion for this? No. Sponsors are very sensitive and I don’t think on the back of the adverse reports around FKF, they can pull it off.  Secondly, the KPL chairman is silent yet his club and many others are having problems.

Standard Sports: So, how do we get out of this quagmire?

Nyamweya: KPL and National Super League clubs have a right to sit down and ask the government to help out. After all those clubs and their members are taxpayers. They can plead their case with the Principal Secretary for Sports and the National Sports Fund to help.

Standard Sports: FKF’s plate is full. They have elections to dispense with. They have broke clubs to deal with. They have national teams in various international assignments…

Nyamweya: Rachier is a senior administrator. He is a much respected figure in Kenya. He needs to rally the KPL and NSL clubs to seek funding, especially for clubs with audited accounts.

Standard Sports: FKF is busy with elections...

Nyamweya: As for elections, the outcome of the case before the Sports Disputes Tribunal is coming out on Tuesday. We hope for a positive outcome so we can have transparent, all-inclusive elections. Whoever wins should be supported. But should FKF insist to go ahead with the sham elections, well, there many other avenues football stakeholders can pursue to have credible elections held. What gives everyone hope, besides a strong case at SDT, is that the Sports Registrar has clearly outlined what is wrong with the purported FKF elections and it is all there on record that the Electoral Board is illegitimate.

 

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