League needs considered reforms

Whenever a new team takes over, we expect outgoing officials to officially hand over. That somehow could not happen as scheduled at Football Kenya Federation. Some of the most important things usually handed over include books of accounts, official hand over notes and contracts.

This process failed to take place and has been postponed to March 3-4. There was a cheeky suggestion that the process shall be ‘gradual’ and since we do not know what that means, we shall wait and see. I doubt if there is anything important to be handed over.

The day shall come and we shall collectively laugh out loud and roll on the ground with bitter mirth. For the time being, let’s all watch this precedence of ‘handing over gradually’.

Even without the instruments of office, it is worth noting that FKF’s National Executive Council headed by Nick Mwendwa already has held several meetings and came up with profound pronouncements that shall take us back two years back. Their first agenda is that of structuring of the league tiers that run like some Bedlam. This will require the top-tier competition run by the Kenya Premier League to accommodate 18 teams.

The FKF Premier League which ran rudderless last season and never really concluded shall be renamed “National Super League” and shall have 20 clubs. The third-tier shall be called National Division One and shall have 28 teams. The rest of the clubs shall find room in a yet-to-be-determined fourth tier league.

ENGAGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS

Sweeping changes in league structure require a flexible time frame that shall make them worthwhile. The nascent FKF management thinks this can be done in “maendeleo chap chap style”. Considering that the KPL and all the leagues have already kicked off, wouldn’t it be prudent to engage all stakeholders to ensure the changes come in seamlessly without friction?

This directive by FKF means all the fixtures already made must be trashed and new teams injected into the first tier. Also, FKF PL teams must be made aware that they are now of a lower division and those of the Super league shall find themselves in Division One!

It will be salutary if we go back a little and see what happened when such a decision was railroaded by the outgoing office. It was pushed even into the corridors of law courts and out again!

From lack of brain, the outgoing executives resorted to brawn and formed their own league known as FKF PL. The league failed to attract big clubs and FKF officials lost interest in it especially after the withdrawal of sponsors. The teams lured into this dungeon were left flapping like kites whose string broke!

There are reasons why KPL is fighting tooth and nail to keep the 16-team league format but we read through them and we are not convinced at all. An 18-team league is possible but the two bodies must reach an agreement that shall be good for our football.

This is no time for a repeat of those wars of yesteryears.

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