FKF President, Sam Nyamweya during the launch of his election manifesto in 2011.
NAIROBI, October 27 – Football Kenya Federation has gone against the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed between them and Kenyan Premier League after declaring four teams will be relegated while six will join the top flight next season.
The new development was reached upon on Tuesday after the federation’s National Executive Committee met in Nairobi.
In a slap to the face of consensus on a matter that almost paralysed the start of the top flight season, the federation mandarins turned back on the deal they had thrashed out with KPL to restore decisions taken during Special General Meeting that passed the resolution to have 18 teams.
“Regarding the composition of the top-tier league for the 2016 season and beyond, the decisions of the Special General Meeting held in Kakamega on January 30th, 2015 and the Third Annual General Meeting held in Nairobi on August 28th, remain in force in the context of determining the number of clubs to be relegated and promoted.
“In this regard, four (4) teams will be relegated from the top-tier league and six (6) promoted from the FKF Premier League to make a league of 18 teams,” part of the statement read.
However, this is a huge contradiction of the MoU agreed upon between FKF and KPL in October, where it was agreed two teams will be promoted and two to be promoted from the second tier FKF-PL.
KPL has maintained they will retain a 16-team format outlining,“The MoU is the latest document and we will stand by it. We just had a governing council meeting today (Tuesday) and re-affirmed our stand with the MOU. I don’t get what FKF is trying to do because we signed the document together and agreed,” KPL boss, Jack Oguda underscored.
It paves way for another bruising battle off season with the SPL ending this weekend as the FKF-PL’s conclusion is mired in confusion.
Leading a FIFA delegation in March, Ghana Football Association President, Kwesi Nyantakyi ordered FKF and KPL to discuss the relegation and promotion criteria before signing an MoU before June.
The issue of forming an 18-team top tier was the bone of contention between the two at the beginning of the season that gave rise to parallel top flights as the standoff persisted.
Should they bulldoze their latest wish, Chemelil Sugar, Nairobi City Stars and KCB risk being drooped as the league concludes this weekend.
It is not clear who would be promoted from the second tier after FKF-PL clubs boycotted the league when the federation awarded Kisii based Shabana FC and Kakamega Homeboyz boardroom points accusing West Kenya and St. Anthony of fielding ineligible players.
“Clubs participating in the FKF Premier League which recently decided to abscond from honouring their fixtures will lose points for the matches absconded and will face severe disciplinary action as guided by the FKF Constitution, FIFA Statutes and the FIFA Code of Ethics that is binding on them.
“Further, in addressing themselves to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federation and Kenyan Premier League, the clubs were displaying a lack of understanding of the provisions of Article 9 (2) & 9 (3) of the Sporting Integrity provisions of the FIFA Statutes that exclusively vest the authority to determine the criteria for promotion and/or relegation of clubs to the Federation,” the statement from FKF added in trying to defend their latest dictatorial edict.
