FKF appoints a seven-man committee to manage the top tier

KCB FC's chairman Azu Ogola will  lead a seven- man committee appointed by Football Kenya Federation to manage the country's top tier.

Ogola will sit on the Premier League Management Committee (PMC) alongside AFC Leopards chairman, Dan Shikanda, Robert Maoga (Kariobangi Sharks), Laban Jobita (Western Stima), John Terry (Posta Rangers), Elly Kalekwa (Sofapaka) and Dennis Gicheru (Wazito).

FKF CEO Barry Otieno said that PMC has been given the full mandate to run the proposed FKF Premier League competition scheduled to commence on November 27. The competition had tentatively been slated for Friday this week only for FKF President to postpone it over what he termed as logistical issues.

University lecturer David Thiru has been appointed the FKF PL league manager, with his job description being mainly to  oversee the league’s operations. Media personality Grace Mwelu takes up her new role as the league’s communication and marketing manager.

The fate of the league, however, hangs in the balance ahead of the scheduled kick off date, following a move by some clubs to reject a proposal floated by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa to have the league managed by the committee.

The clubs argue that the initial agreement was to have the competition managed by FKF Premier League Limited led by Ulinzi Stars chairman Col Erick Oloo.

The Kenyan Premier League (KPL) moved to court in March to contest the decision reached by FKF to crown Gor Mahia as champions, saying it contravenes the FKF-KPL Agreement.

"FKF’s decision to end the league without consulting the Kenyan Premier League contravenes various clauses in the FKF-KPL Agreement and the SDT Ruling on the FKF-KPL Agreement. The clauses contravened were clearly captured in the two letters that were sent on April 30, 2020, which remain unanswered," said KPL's management in a statement. 

KPL defended their mandate at the Sports Disputes Tribunal, insisting that it was the only body recognised to manage the league.

"It is still our insistence that any decision concerning the status and the fate of the league should be made by the Kenyan Premier League as we are the body mandated to run the Kenyan Premier League."

KPL said that the FKF-KPL Agreement was clear on the obligations of KPL and FKF in as far as management of the Kenyan Premier League is concerned.

"We seek to know this considering that the SDT Ruling of March 17, 2020, stated that the term of the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) had ended.

"KPL is bound to the SDT Ruling and implementing any purported decisions emanating from unauthorised persons will amount to contempt of court. As a law-abiding institution, KPL would like to avoid doing so."