Joint team all set to meet over Kenyan Premier League size

Football Kenya Federation on Wednesday nominated three of their members to the Joint Executive Committee of the federation and the Kenyan Premier League that will meet ton Friday to discuss modalities of expanding the top-tier league to an 18-team competition.

FKF president Nick Mwendwa, his deputy Doris Petra and youth committee chairman Chris Amimo will represent the federation in the talks.

“We wrote them (KPL) a letter with a view of holding the first meeting on Friday,” FKF’s chief executive officer, Robert Muthomi, said Wednesday.

KPL, on the other hand, have nominated Gor Mahia boss Ambrose Rachier, Mathare United chairman Bob Munro and Tusker boss James Musyoki to the JEC.

The league body had named the trio last year and confirmed this Wednesday in a letter dated April 27, 2016.

The two parties were on Tuesday directed by the John Ohaga-led Sports Dispute Tribunal to discuss the merits and mechanism  of expanding the top-tier league from 16 to 18 teams for the 2017 season and report their findings on Tuesday.

These follows a protracted tussle over the size of the league with KPL insisting on 16 teams and FKF pushing for 18.

FKF has argued that an expanded league will give more teams and players a chance to compete at the top level.

The KPL has, however, countered that a lean league is the best for the county if standards and quality are to be maintained.

KPL has also said that adding more teams would not make financial sense.

At the same time, KPL chairman Musyoki slammed the demotion of three top tier sides – Sofapaka, Muhoroni Youth and Thika United by the federation for failing to comply with Confederation of African Football Licensing requirements.

'PUNITIVE MEASURES'

“Demotion is not part of the punitive measures outlined. Fining the clubs would have been a better way,” Musyoki said.

But in a rejoinder, Muthomi rubbished Musyoki’s assertions. “The Caf Licensing rules are clear that clubs which fail to meet the criteria are demoted to a lower league. All the clubs know that and whoever is opposing this is talking from a point of ignorance.”

Football Kenya Federation president Mwendwa, however, said yesterday that the 2017 league will constitute 15 teams.

“It’s very clear. It was to be an 18 -team league for 2017 season but since three clubs have failed to attain a provisional license, we will have 15 teams.”