Former Kenyan Premier League side Thika United have confirmed pocketing Sh3.6 million from Michael Olunga's transfer deal to Qatar's Premiership side Al Duhail.
“Yes, I can confirm we have been in communication with Al Duhail. They deposited some money in our account,” Thika United Academy proprietor Mike Mururi confirmed.
Mururi urged Kenyan clubs to familiarise themselves with the technicalities of the Fifa system so that it may become easier for them to lay claim on subsequent gains once their players make a move.
“The solidarity payment system has long existed at Fifa, only that Kenyan clubs are yet to understand how to benefit from it,” he said.
“We did official registration for Olunga and every other player who went through the Thika United system, so we are assured of benefiting from every single transfer move involving them."
The side was converted into an academy in March after folding up and bowing out of the competitive stage in 2018.
The 27-year-old Harambee Stars striker penned a Sh800 million deal with Al Duhail in January 2021, after plying trade for Kashiwa Reysol in the J1-League.
The solidarity fee payment is five per cent of the amount arising from any transfer of a football player, channelled to clubs and academies the player featured for between the age 12 and 23.
The fee is a form of appreciation given to the club for developing the talent.
Olunga's Sh40 million (five per cent of Sh800m) solidarity fee will also trickle down to three other Kenyan clubs he turned out for, including Liberty Sports Academy, Tusker and Gor Mahia.
Djurgårdens IF (Sweden) and Guizhou Zhicheng (China) will also get a share of the spoils.
Olunga kicked off his glittering career at Liberty Sports Academy before moving on loan to Tusker. He was then loaned out to Thika United and later joined Gor Mahia.
The news is a big relief to local clubs and academies.
Recently, Kisumu-based Manyatta Resource Centre wrote to Football Kenya Federation asking them to look into ways of prodding clubs to compensate them for nurturing players whose services they are enjoying at the moment.