NAIROBI, March 9- Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Sam Nyamweya confirmed their case against Kenyan Premier League has not been withdrawn although ‘serious consultations’ to unlock the stalemate were at an advanced stage as he extended an olive branch to their rivals.
Speaking to Capital Sport, Nyamweya said his Executive Committee met Monday to discuss ways to reach out to their rivals and defuse the crisis sparked off last November that has brought two parallel 2015 Premier Leagues.
Later alleged reports from sources within the meeting stating world body Fifa that has remained largely ambivalent to the dispute thus far had written to FKF and urged them to withdraw their suit gained currency particularly on social media.
The federation sought and obtained a High Court injunction against the latter’s competition that is in force until at least Friday when their suit will be heard by civil judge Lady Justice Roselyn Aburili at Nairobi’s Milimani High Court.
“We have not withdrawn the case since we have not yet resolved the matter outside the court. Consultations are ongoing.
“I’m open and prepared for dialogue and determined to get a solution that will be a win-win for both parties. As long as we talk to each other truthfully and seriously, serious consultations will end this impasse,” the FKF president asserted.
According to Nyamweya, they had come up with a raft of proposals to be presented to KPL in another bid to unlock their misunderstanding outside court they would release Tuesday.
Contacted, KPL chief executive Jack Oguda denied receiving any communication from FKF on the matter saying they had not met since the collapse of their latest showdown talks last Tuesday after Justice Aburili gave them 48 hours to quash their dispute or the civil case would go into full hearing.
“I’ve not heard anything about withdraw of the case because they have not written to us. We have never met or communicated since Serena,” the chief executive who saw his competition miss for the second successive week over the weekend proclaimed.
Nyamweya, who has since promoted 14 second division clubs to take the place of the KPL sides who failed to sign up with the federation driven FKF Premier League was conciliatory as the impasse continues to bite.
“We are the same family and our interests are to ensure people are playing football and that is what I want to see. I’m ready to sit and find a way to end this dispute. If I was not interested in a solution, I would not be holding meetings.
“We are committed to a solution but people should respect authority and I believe we can do this,” the president charged.
With football playing in the corridors of justice, Justice Aburili inserted a new twist into the FKF suit when he admitted former federation vice-president, Sam Shollei and Nairobi Delegate, Dan Shikanda to the case as Amicus Curiae in a move said to have side stepped the federation.
The duo were suspended and later banned from FKF for taking them to court to challenge disciplinary measures against them with world governing body Fifa and the federation’s own statutes firm on football disputes not being taken to ordinary courts.
On Friday, Lady Justice Aburili who had demanded written applications from both parties by Monday will hear and rule on four matters, contempt of court proceedings against KPL, injunction orders sought by FKF, KPL’s responding affidavit and submissions from Shollei and Shikanda.
Amid dispute over broadcast rights worth hundreds of millions, administration and definition of statutes; the crux of the wrangles has been FKF’s insistence of an 18-team competition with KPL stuck on their 16-side format.
Kenya still awaits a move from Fifa who last week announced they were monitoring the situation as they argued the feuding parties to arrive at an amicable solution.
