NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 11- Football Kenya Federation and the Kenyan Premier League Limited have both nominated three members into the Joint Executive Committee (JEC) that will start discussions over the merits, modalities and mechanism for expanding the top tier league to an 18-team format.
FKF will be represented by president Nick Mwendwa, his Secretary General Robert Muthomi and National Executive Committee member Robert Amimo.
KPL on their side have chairman James Musyoki, his predecessor city lawyer Ambrose Rachier and Mathare United chairman Bob Munro. Muthomi will be the JEC secretary.
In its ruling on Tuesday afternoon, the Sports Disputes Tribunal instructed the two bodies to abide by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2015, but stripped KPL of its casting vote, ruling it will be insurbodinating the federation.
According to the September 2015 agreement, a JEC is supposed to decide on the expansion of the top tier at least one season prior. This season, with FKF kicking out three clubs on club licensing reasons, the league will have 15 teams.
“It was a fair ruling which observed the rule of law. We will now wait to hear of the final outcome and we are all hoping for a permanent solution so we can focus on the football,” KPL CEO Jack Oguda told Capital Sport.
The JEC will have its meeting on Friday morning at the FKF headquarters in Kasarani and the discussions must be concluded by Monday, a day before they report to the tribunal the agreements they have come up with.
FKF had earlier said they would foot the costs of adding two extra teams into the top tier and KPL had earlier admitted they will find no problem to accept the two extra teams as long as the federation does not back down on its word.
In their submissions to the tribunal, KPL said adding two extra teams will change the financial dimensions of the other 16 teams in terms of shareholding and annual benefits.
The federation had said they are willing to forego their annual grant of Sh10mn from KPL as well as top it up with a Sh5mn sum which sponsors SportPesa have expressed willingness to add, and will increase it from within their own accounts to ensure the league goes on without hitch.