City Stars' players suspended over claims of match manipulation

Football Kenya Federation FKF) have provisionally suspended two Nairobi City Stars players pending investigations into their alleged involvement in match manipulation.

The two, Ezekiel Odera and Salim Abdallah are set to appear before the FKF Integrity Department for a thorough inquiry into the matter.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon,  FKF said the suspension of the duo is part of the ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of the FKF leagues and competitions. 

“During this period of suspension, all FKF members are advised to avoid any form of sporting contact with the aforementioned individuals,” the football governing body said in a statement.

FKF reiterated their commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity within the sport and promised to take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation.

The federation urged their stakeholders, including players, officials, and fans, to continue supporting their efforts in ensuring the integrity of Kenyan football is upheld.

“Further updates regarding the investigation and any subsequent actions will be provided in due course,” concluded the statement.

Inside sources claimed a third City Stars player is also under investigation over the same allegations.

Nairobi City Stars chief executive officer, Patrick Korir, confirmed the suspensions but said the players are no longer with the team.

“Communication was done directly to the players because they are out of contract. Contact the federation for details,” said Korir.

In March, three people were arrested while attempting to manipulate City Stars’ game against Sofapaka.  

The three—Russian Akhiad Kubiev, Ugandan Bernard Nabende and Kenyan Martin Munga were later fined Sh200,000 each. Korir protested over the manner in which the case was handled.