Is this the end of top football clubs in Nyanza?

On June 24 this year, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and Kisumu County Governor Anyang Nyong’o led a high delegation from both levels of government for a ground-breaking ceremony of the Mamboleo Showground n Kisumu.

The ceremony, which ushered in the construction of the Sh350 million facility at Mamboleo Showground in Kisumu, was no doubt the best news to sports enthusiasts from Nyanza region, during this time that Covid-19 has caused immeasurable losses to athletes globally.

The construction of the facility, which is expected to last six months and being undertaken by the national government was a heart balm to the sport lovers, because it meant an alternative place for hundreds of talented athletes from Nyanza to hone their skills.

Over the years, sportsmen and women from the region, especially those within the township area have depended on the dilapidated Moi Stadium and Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground to develop their talent.

But amidst that joy, which was brought about by the launch of the project by the Sports Cabinet Secretary and the Kisumu governor, there was a grave concern among the locals. They have questions about the future of football clubs in the region.

“It is good they (national government and Kisumu County Government) have decided to build another stadium in Kisumu. This was long overdue because this place is the home of football talents in the country. But as they build the stadium, they should also support clubs because they are struggling and if action is not taken, they might collapse like others before,” said Linston Odhiambo, a football enthusiast.

Currently, a dark cloud hangs over football in Nyanza, as the region might not have a representative in next season’s Kenya Premier League (KPL), despite this being home to some of the country’s greatest footballers.

All eyes are on Kisumu AllStars who are scheduled to face-off with National Super League (NSL) side Vihiga United in the play-offs on a yet-to-be-decided date.

Should AllStars lose to Vihiga United in the two-legged match, and the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) upholds Football Kenya Federation (FKF) decision to relegate Sony Sugar FC and Chemelil Sugar FC when it ended the season 2019/2020 season on April 30 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the region will not have a team in next season’s top flight.

Veteran coach Bob Oyugi and former Kenyan International Elijah Onsika say the uncertainty that the three teams find themselves in sounds a death knell to football in the region.

“It is not encouraging that teams from the region are now depending on luck to compete in the premier league. Missing being represented at the top (premier league) will be disastrous to Nyanza region,” said Oyugi, a former Gor Mahia coach, said.

“The future of young talents in Nyanza is threatened. Every player’s dream is to play in the top league but if there is no team from this region, where will they get motivation to work hard?” posed Onsika.

Sony Sugar, the 2006 Kenyan champions and based in Awendo, Migori County, were relegated to the NSL last November, after failing to honour three matches - against 13-time winners AFC Leopards, Tusker and Zoo FC.

Their downfall from the premiership resulted from a biting financial crisis after the taps of their sponsors - Sony Sugar Company - ran dry due to financial challenges in the sugar industry. It is the same predicament that befell the Kisumu-based Chemelil Sugar who are sponsored by Chemelil Sugar Company.

Until when the league was suspended on March 16 due to the pandemic, the Millers were rock bottom on nine points, having earlier dished out two walkovers - against Bandari and Tusker.

Chemelil Sugar, who filed a petition at the Sports Disputes tribunal alongside KPL Limited and Kakamega Homeboyz challenging FKF’s decision to end the season, want the league to be played to its conclusion since they are confident of pulling through while Sony Sugar are of the view that it be cancelled without any team being relegated, arguing that it is lack of funds that took a toll on them.

“As Chemelil Sugar, we shall not be party to any decision to cancel this season. We are bottom of the table but that doesn't mean we say the league should be cancelled so that we start afresh,” Chemelil Sugar boss Moses Adagala told Nation Sport earlier.

Sony Sugar chairman Gabriel Otiende Otiende stated: “We were not relegated because we were a poor side but due to financial constraints. Even before this pandemic, teams which were struggling financially like Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Chemelil Sugar, Kisumu All Stars and Nzoia Sugar endured strikes within their camps and faced difficulties in honouring their matches.”

Should SDT uphold the FKF’s April 30 decision and AllStars fail to trounce Vihiga United, the three teams will join Agro Chemicals, Kisumu Telkom (all defunct), Shabana and Muhoroni Youth in the list of football clubs from Nyanza that have been relegated from the premiership.

Oyugi warns that the relegation of the three teams will also take a toll on the national team - Harambee Stars. “Nyanza is the granary and conveyor belt of the best football players in the country. But if things continue as they are, that will not be the case and it is our national team that will suffer.”

Agro Chemicals, who were sponsored by the Agro Chemicals and Food Company, were relegated to FKF Division One in 2017 and later disbanded.

Kisumu Telkom was axed from the premiership in 2006 while Muhoroni Youth were demoted from the KPL in 2017.

Since Muhoroni declined to honour their fixtures in the NSL, owing to a suit they filed in court challenging their relegation, FKF further relegated them to Division One where they currently compete at. They lost the court case.

For Shabana, since their relegation from KPL in 2006, they have remained a pale shadow of their former self, despite commanding a huge following in Kisii.

Fondly known as the Glamour Boys, they were further relegated to FKF Division One in 2014, before making a return to NSL in 2018.

Lack of funds has worked against them in their quest to seal a place in the KPL.

Until when this season’s NSL campaign was suspended, they were perched at position 10 on the log on 35 points. Having been without a sponsor since 2016 after their deal with online betting firm Dafabet lapsed, Shabana have struggled to honour its fixtures.

The club’s vice chairman Yabesh Nyandoro said that for a successful campaign, the club requires more than Sh1 million monthly. He appealed to Kisii and Nyamira county governments to come on board and help salvage the situation.

“Shabana is a community club representing the entire Gusii region, so the two county governments (Kisii and Nyamira) should offer support,” said Nyandoro.

The Kisii County government is yet to honour a Sh5 million pledge it made to the club two years ago. Shabana’s woes do not revolve around funding alone.

Onsika and Henry Motego, another former Kenyan international, believe the team’s current management does not have its interest at heart and have called on former players from the region to seek positions at the club’s top management.

“An election should be conducted so that people who have football at heart assume office and support fresh talents,” said Onsika.

Shabana have not held elections in the last decade and there are no minutes that approved the current officials to take charge of the team.

Oyugi fears that should the struggling clubs fail to receive necessary support, they are likely to fold up.

As a solution to the financial problem that Kenyan clubs grapple with daily, he advised that clubs register members who will pay membership fees annually.

“Companies are unreliable and clubs should not depend on them fully to survive. Clubs with a strong fan base and membership rarely fall,” said Oyugi.

Citing AllStars whose poor performance in their debut season has been blamed on lack of funds, he urged county governments to support the teams since they are stakeholders of sports, owing to the fact that they own sports facilities in their areas of jurisdiction.

For now, the only KPL action that football enthusiasts in Nyanza might enjoy is when champions Gor Mahia host teams at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

Western Stima, based in Kisumu since the team was promoted to the KPL, is largely considered a Kakamega team by locals. Bu Stima are grappling with financial constraints after their sponsor - Kenya Power and Lightning Company - terminated the deal last month.

Reports by Victor Otieno, Benson Ayienda and Cecil Odongo