We are suffering: Broke KPL players speak out

Former Sony Sugar captain Thomas Harun had hopes of a better life after trading a teaching job for professional football before the season began. 

Harun dropped the chalk at the Migori-based Kenya Relief Academy in July last year to join Sony, who had by then landed a deal with Singaporean Information Technology firm, Quantdragon. The sponsorship did not take effect.

Harun found himself sandwiched between a rock and a hard place as Sony struggled to pay salaries.

This prompted him to force his sibling to defer his studies at the Technical University for a year. He was thrown out of his house thanks to mounting rent arrears.

Harun is just one of the many players who ply their trade in the Kenyan Premier League, a limited company contracted to run the competition. The unceremonious exit of SportPesa in August last year rendered the league body and two of the country's most successful clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards sponsor-less.

SportPesa were financing the league to a tune of Sh87 million a year, while Gor and Leopards were set respectively to pocket Sh198 million and Sh156 million from 2018-20.

The gaming firm slammed its doors shut, citing unfavourable business environment. And hardly six months down the line, the ramifications are there for all to see. 

KPL, whose contract is at its sunset days, elected to roll on the 2019-20 season without a title sponsor, which meant clubs would not enjoy the monthly grants and worse still, would fork out the referees' fees. 

More than five clubs petitioned the league body to suspend the competition just a month into the season to pave way for a spirited hunt for a new sponsor, but the latter would cede no ground. 

This left clubs scrambling for funds to pay salaries, allowances, honour matches and to cater for other logistics. They were left reeling as grants dried up, leaving them to dig deep into their pockets to bridge the gap. 

The sugar belt proved to be the hardest hit as 17 rounds into the season, 2006 champions Sony Sugar have already been axed to the National Super League for dishing out three walkovers. 

Their neighbours Chemelil Sugar's fate hangs on a cliff as they are a walkover away from meeting the wrath of the axe, while Nzoia Sugar are two from the chop. 

PLAYERS BEAR THE BRUNT

Caught up in the push and pull between KPL and the broke clubs are players, most of whom take football as their full-time job. 

The pain of going for months without their dues reflecting in their accounts, the shame of plunging into debts, lack of basic needs, depression and broken marriages are some of the problems bedevilling players this season. 

They point an accusing finger at KPL for starting the league without a sponsor, FKF for their failure to fully implement the Fifa club licensing requirements, Kefwa for resting on their laurels and the government for neglecting football. Kefwa is the Kenya Footballers Welfare Association.

For Harun, the financially stable KCB came to his rescue after signing him up.

“I was bankrolling my brother at TUK, while I was working at the Kenya Relief Academy. Sony showed interest in my services as I used to take football as my part-time job. They offered a better package and I ended up joining them. At Sony, we never received a coin and I had to request my brother to defer his studies. I was locked out of my house and had debts from all corners,” he said.

“The only fortunate bit is during the few matches I played, KCB were monitoring me and offered me a contract a few days ago. I have managed to clear debts from the sign-on fee but I am afraid for my former teammates at Sony and those in clubs who are not able to pay salaries on time." 

Indeed, many other players are still languishing in financial woes. Veteran Nzoia Sugar goalkeeper Benson Mangala, for instance, admits that life this season has been tough. He has been striving to make ends meet through begging. 

He highlights paying school fees for his children as the major challenge he has faced this season, but he remains optimistic of better tidings in the near future. 

"It has been tough this season as we are yet to be paid. It is painful that you have to train throughout the week and be expected to give 100 per cent on match days but your efforts can not guarantee good life," Mangala said.

"I have children who are in school and ensuring they are not sent home has troubled me for quite some time. I have survived on begging to cater for my basic needs and that of my family, and I think KPL, FKF and the government have failed us. We ask FKF to ensure the club licensing rules are applied and the government should chip in and bail us out."

NOT PAID FOR A YEAR

Imagine heading for a match against Gor Mahia on an empty stomach? This is the situation Chemelil Sugar players had to endure when they tackled the record champions on January 16 at the Moi Stadium, Kisumu, where they fell 4-0.

The few finances the club gathered hours to the match were not enough to meet the logistics demands and feed the players, who hence had to forgo the latter as failing to show up for the match would culminate in relegation. 

"We played Gor on empty stomachs as the club did not have money to feed us and enable us to honour the match. The management decided to use the money on logistics. They convinced us to travel in a bid to save the club from sinking to relegation," John Ochieng, a senior player at the club, said.

Ochieng, who is on Gor Mahia's radar, termed the situation at the Awasi-based club unbearable as they had not paid players for one year.

"Life here is unbearable but we can't blame our employer as operations were halted. Players here live from hand to mouth, others have abandoned the game and depression is rife within us. Broken marriages is not something new in our camp and it's getting tougher day in day out," he said.

Debts mill around Mathare United’s left-back David Owino's life as he solely relies on football to clear his school fees and to support his family. Even though the 2008 league champions have a sponsor in Mozzart Bet, Owino, commonly known as Messi, asserts that his earnings have plummeted this season as the club no longer enjoys grants from KPL. Details of the Mathare deal remain scanty.

“I am not in a position to look beyond football as a source of income as I am a part-time student. My evenings are always occupied and thus I have to depend on football,” the Kenyan international said.

"From football I get my daily bread, school fees and ensure my family is comfortable. However, the money is not enough and I am always in debt. I wish all stakeholders can get us a solution to save players from leading miserable lives."

His teammate and another Kenyan international Roy Okal agreed. “Life is relatively tough this season. We have bills to pay and it's unfortunate that our hard work does not coincide with what we get at the end of the month. Had KPL stopped the league, sponsors would have filled the void left by SportPesa,” he said.

OVERDEPENDENT ON SPONSORS?

Kariobangi Sharks captain Erick Juma said the club's playing unit had been in dire straits before gaming firm Betway came to their rescue. Sharks signed a Sh15 million annual deal in November last year.

“Before the deal we used to survive on handouts the club would give us to ensure we did not skip training or matches. We held on despite the challenges until Betway gave us something to smile about,” Juma said.

KPL, who are accused of running the league without a sponsor, admitted that they were under pressure to secure a deal after the National Super League and the county leagues attracted sponsorship from Betika and Odibets respectively.

Betika signed a Sh30 million annual sponsorship deal with NSL, while Odibets were awarded the naming rights to the county leagues after pumping Sh127 million to support grassroots football for the next three years.

The firm conceded to have let the players down but fired back at the federation for failing to strictly implement the Club Licensing rules. They singled out clubs for over-dependence on sponsors rather than seeking to become self-reliant.

KPL CEO Jack Oguda pointed to historical precedent for the league's decision to soldier on. “The league did not have a sponsor between 2005-07. If we did not suspend competition during that time, I do not see the reason as to why we should this time. In as much as we have failed players, those who are blaming us are not sincere," he said.

"We are mandated by law to organise and run the league and clubs should seek means to sustain themselves. The little we can do is to top up their earnings through the grants, which we are working hard to secure. FKF should also ensure that clubs meet the rules set in 2016.” 

“We are under pressure to get sponsorship after the lower tiers signed multi-million deals. The challenge has been our contract with FKF, which is set to expire in September. Many a corporate are shying away from investing in KPL as they are aware we are in the final months of our mandate.”

Meanwhile, Kefwa chairman James Situma reiterated his commitment to supporting players. He urged players to diversify their means of income.

“We continue to fight for the welfare of the players. We understand that clubs are broke but we will ensure their dues will be backdated once money is availed. We will fight to see the terms within their contracts are respected,” assured the former Kenyan international.

Edited by Tom Jalio