NAIROBI, Kenya, October 23- Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chief, Sam Nyamweya, has announced Wednesday that he will take ‘personal charge’ of the remaining Kenyan Premier League and GOtv Shield fixtures.
The football chief added the move has been necessitated by the urge to ‘create a level playing ground’ as the domestic season winds up for the season in a fortnight.
“To ensure this is achieved all club officials, players, referees and other match officials have been hereby advised to refrain from any acts tantamount of bringing the game of football into disrepute.
“We know that the stakes are very high as we approach the end of the season and want to assure all Kenyans that FKF will take stern action against anyone who interferes with the operations of the leagues,” Nyamweya said in a statement.
He added: “FKF is deeply committed to ensure that the team winning the KPL the GOTV Shield and those seeking promotion from the National Division one league as well as those relegated are decided on the pitch and not influenced through any other decisions.”
Recently, acts of hooliganism and biased officiating have clouded local football with the latest cases occurring last weekend.
The GOtv semifinal between cup holders, Gor Mahia and Sony Sugar ended with some K’Ogalo fans attacking their opponents’ players with the Awendo club forced to call for the cancellation of their Wednesday KPL clash at Chemelil since some victims are still under treatment.
The fracas stemmed from their ill-tempered league game at Awendo that was abandoned last month with FKF accusing KPL of laxity in security due to hosting the potentially corrosive encounter at a tiny venue.
In another statement on Tuesday, the federation said that the match report from the GOtv semi had been forwarded to the Independent Disciplinary and Appeals Commission to deliberate and rule in the matter, with the award of league points from the Awendo game still pending.
FKF was silent of answering why there was such a glaring security breach at Kenya’s largest stadium, Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, that saw the hooligans access the pitch and attack Sony players as match organizers.
Accusations of biased officiating have been rife in the KPL and Nationwide Divisions with Thika United head coach, John Kamau, saying, “It seems that there are pre-determined results in favour of some clubs.
“If this continues in the league, then we are doing nothing in our football to attract sponsorship. It takes a lot to prepare a team but from what we are seeing, there is no need.”
Kamau took exception with decisions that went against his side at Kakamega Homeboyz including a goal chalked off for off-side, a red card to his captain and the bizarre decision to call for a foul when Harambee Stars international, Francis Kahata, robbed the home keeper of the ball as he was dallying with it to waste time.
Homeboyz won the match 2-0 to move to within a point of Sony in 14th to revive their hopes of avoiding the drop.
