Promotion format opens another KPL, FKF tussle

A new disagreement looms between Football Kenya Federation and Kenyan Premier League over promotion and relegation of teams to the top flight league.

While FKF is sticking to the current 18-team league format, KPL is standing with 16.

FKF President Nick Mwendwa said two clubs from SPL will be relegated and two from the National Super League (NSL) promoted automatically while the third ranked side from the lower league will play team number 15 from the top league in a play-off to determine one more slot.

'REMAINS CLEAR'

“Our stand remains clear as ruled by the Sports Disputes Tribunal early in the season. We’ve written to KPL twice affirming the same and we hope that there will be no circus around this again.

“It’s the format adapted in countries running 18-team leagues. This is why we adopted the German federation way of doing things,” Mwendwa said in light of awaited ruling by the Court of Appeal on the league composition.

FKF appealed a High Court ruling nullifying the promotion of Zoo Kericho and Nakumatt to the top flight but on October 3, the appellate court vacated orders to suspend the two pending a ruling.

Should the Court of Appeal uphold High Court Judge John Mativo’s ruling, KPL will rely on article 16 (c) of their constitution for direction. The article states: “If any club ceases to be a member of the league other than by reason of relegation after the end of the season but before the Governing Council has fixed the dates of league matches for the next season, the council may invite the relegated club which attained the highest position in the table at the end of the previous season to rejoin the league.”

The rule was once applied in favour of Nakuru All Stars and City Stars in 2015 after the two had been relegated a season before following a disagreement between FKF, then under Sam Nyamweya, and KPL on the composition of the league.