Nairobi News

Clubs featuring in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League have resolved to source for alternative funding to cater for logistical deficiencies that the league is currently grappling with.

This comes after the rights holders MP & Silva to stopped remitting monthly grants and other payments to Football Kenya Federation in May.

MP & Silva have cited various reasons for their temporary withdrawal, chiefly the perceived the low quality of the competition.

As a result, the 18 teams in this second tier league are each in deficit of Sh 3 million as per the agreement.

Other officials serving in this competition, including the referees, match commissar and staff are also owed accumulated arrears totaling Sh 2 million accrued over the past three months.

FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

“By all indications, the sponsor (MP & Silva) will not be remitting payments anytime soon. So we have resolved to look for money elsewhere to ensure the competition continues smoothly. This is a challenge but we have to embrace it for the sake of our players,” FKF Premier League Chairman Nick Mwendwa told journalists on Friday moments after a three-hour meeting with 18 club representatives at a Nairobi hotel.

Mwendwa’s comments were backed by Moyas FC chairman Kariuki Kisco who said:

“The referees and clubs are suffering and the major concern is that this could eventually affect the standards of the competition. We now have to seek well-wishers and other sponsors to help us complete the season.”

The financial challenges facing the FKF Premier League are however not unique to the league. A majority of teams in the Kenyan Premier League – including bigwigs AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia, plus the national football teams – have over the past year been forced to survive on handouts and funds from well-wishers.