Mathare United were unjustifiably suspended and eventually relegated from the Kenyan Premier League, club founder and chairman Bob Munro has claimed.
In a letter penned on Tuesday to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Transition Committee head of secretariat, Lindah Ogutu, Munro placed their woes at the feet of the defunct Caretaker Committee, saying it failed to disburse funds to clubs at the appropriate time.
The Caretaker Committee's six-month tenure expired last week with Sports Cabinet, Secretary Amina Mohamed, handing it a new lease of life by renaming it the Transition Committee.
“After the gazetting of the FKF Transition Committee on May 13, our club received, later that day, your letter decreeing our suspension and relegation from the FKF Premier League,” the letter read in part.
“Please note the following relevant facts: In 2021, before November 11 when FKF was disbanded and replaced by the FKF Caretaker Committee (FKF CC), our club had received FKF grants averaging Ksh 960,000 per month."
Munro said that on November 27, 2021, Mathare sent their basic income and expenditure for the 2021-22 season, laying bare their need and dependence on FKF CC monthly grants.
“On December 1, 2021, the FKF CC announced that it would “provide logistical support of Sh300,000 for each of the Premier League clubs.
"Eventually after sustained lobbying, the FKF CC paid its first monthly grant of Sh300,000 on December 22, 2021," Munro said.
He pointed out that on December 22, 2021, Mathare shared a detailed note with the FKF CC on the escalating financial Instability of the top tier clubs and the committee promised to work closely with the Ministry of Sports to cushion the clubs from financial instability.
“On January 23, 2022, the committee paid its second monthly grant for that month of Sh300,000. On April 23, our club had only enough funds either to cover the costs of our last eight matches or instead help reduce the financial pressures on our players and families … and chose the latter.”
Meanwhile, the Slum Boys continued to drown in financial instability and it wasn't long before their woes played out in public.
“On April 24, our club lacked the funds to cover the costs for hosting Bandari and sadly forfeited the first match in our 28-year history. On April 30, our club lacked the funds to cover the costs for our away match against Ulinzi Stars. On May 6, our club lacked the funds to cover the costs of hosting Sofapaka.
Ironically, on May 10 — four days after Mathare's scheduled match with Sofapaka – the committee finally paid its long-overdue monthly grant arrears ofSh900,000 exactly a day before its mandate ended.
“If the FKF CC had paid its overdue grant arrears before April 23rd, our club could have avoided forfeiting any matches and instead been able to cover all the costs of our then eight remaining matches, Munro quipped.”
Mathare have featured in the Kenyan Premier League for 24 consecutive seasons.
