NAIROBI, Kenya, February 25 – Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Arts and Culture, Hassan Wario will appear before Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Welfare next Tuesday to address action taken on the stand-off between Football Kenya Federation and Kenyan Premier League.
Parliament Majority Leader Aden Duale confirmed Wario will be available after the sitting was postponed Tuesday due to lack of venue.
The minister had already arrived at County Hall as requested by Nakuru Town East Member of Parliament David Gikaria, but the chair of the Committee David Were had to reschedule it after finding the venue had already been booked.
The meeting was planned to be held at the County Hall’s Mini-Chamber but it had been taken over by Senate Committee on Devolution which was conducting vetting proceeding for the nominees appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to sit in Commission looking into the dissolution of Makueni County.
Were, told Capital Sport that the Director of Committees in parliament was unable to allocate them an alternative venue and advised them to postpone the sitting to next Tuesday.
The minister was expected to inform the Committee action his ministry has taken on endless impasse between FKF and KPL who failed to agree on who should run 2015 Premier League.
Wario had vowed to take action as advised under the Sports Act if the two warring sides failed to solve the issue internally but he is yet to speak even as talks between FKF and KPL collapsed when the latter walked off.
The stalemate has led to parallel Premier Leagues with FKF going against world body FIFA express statutes by obtaining an injunction to stop KPL from running the league pending March 3 hearing.
The stand-off arose after KPL declined to accept FKF’s 18 team format proposal and introduction of rival broadcast rights company MP & Silva that could have seen KPL breach contact with SuperSport.
– KPL appeals-
Meanwhile, KPL moved to court to challenge FKF’s injunction on Wednesday through their chairman and respected lawyer, Ambrose Rachier.
In their court papers, the league management company cites violation of world body Fifa, continental body CAF and the federation statutes and putting livelihoods of over 500 players and officials at risk as some of the reasons they want the injunction order dated February 20 quashed.
They accused their rivals of rushing to court to avert a world governing body ban arguing in accordance to provisions of FIFA statute 67, the Milimani High Court that issued the order should divest from any disputes arising from football.
On the other side of the confused football divide, FKF has reported 14 of their 18 listed clubs in their competition that continues this weekend have received Sh1m each from their broadcast rights partners, MP&S.
According to the federation, local giants Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards who honoured their opening KPL fixtures last weekend are among those who have not forwarded their account numbers to receive the money as their position remains unclear.
Kakamega Homeboyz, Cleophas Shimanyula, confirmed to Capital Sport his team had received the money by 9am Wednesday, “And I want to thank the federation for what they are doing.”
