FKF delegates endorse ban on Super Eight officials

A majority of delegates at the Football Kenya Federation’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday rubber stamped a proposal to suspend officials behind the SportPesa Super Eight.

The federation’s national executive committee had recommended action against the officials.

The AGM held at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies in Nairobi, was set to discuss a number of issues including the conduct of the officials involved in the grassroots football competition run by Extreme Sports Limited.

However, a court order, which arrived midway through the process saved the skin of the Extreme Sports and its director Hussein Mohamed from being subjected to a vote, which would have seen them suspended too.

The federation had pitched for a six-year suspension but the duration was shelved after some delegates requested for a review of the period.

“We won’t take a vote on the suspension of Extreme Sports, as we have just received a court order barring us from doing so. We would also not vote on suspension of its director Hussein Mohammed. However, a vote would be taken on individuals and not on the organisation,” Mwendwa said before the delegates did a secret ballot.

Extreme Sports manager Athanas Obango, Joseph Ochieng, Eugene Masibaye, Bernard Omondi, Joyce Hoi, who are all FKF officials, were slapped with suspensions for associating with the competition.

Also caught in the crosshairs were Kenyan Premier League referees Judy Wamoro, Beth Wambui and Juma Turke. Amos Ichingwa, Michael Iluve, Vincent Akhonya and Isaac Maticha, whose suspensions were ratified.

The length of their suspensions will be decided during an executive meeting. Of the 78 delegates, 65 voted for the adoption of the suspension of the clubs, while only five registered a dissenting view. Eight abstained from voting.

It was, however, an anti-climax of sorts as the participants failed to discuss the expansion of the Kenyan Premier League, (KPL) which is expected to be enlarged from 16 to 18 teams for the 2017 season.

FKF had listed the item on the agenda but KPL on Friday successfully sought an injunction from the Sports Disputes Tribunal barring the congress from deliberating on the issue.

“We received a communication from the Sports Disputes Tribunal not allowing as a congress to discuss that agenda (league expansion). As law abiding citizens we would obey the directive and I’d like to ask you too to abide by it,” Mwendwa told the delegates shortly before the proceedings began.

KPL Chief Executive Officer Jack Oguda, who was also present at the function as an observer, defended their move to rush to the tribunal.

“Our action does not mean that we are against the expansion of the league. What we are opposed to is the fact that the procedure was not followed,” he said.

“The MoU we signed clearly spells out what needs to be done. There is need for discussion between us and FKF, but this has not happened. We have been tried unsuccessfully to convene a meeting over the matter,” Oguda added.