Nyamweya faults FKF over congested fixtures

Former Football Kenya Federation president Sam Nyamweya has said local football administrators should have come up with a better way of ensuring Kenyan Premier League aligns itself with Fifa’s international calendar without disrupting clubs.

Nyamweya has said the process of harmonising the local league with the international calendar could have been gradually, considering that most local clubs have a funding cycle that starts in June.

“It is not fair that Kenyan clubs struggle to pay salaries among other expenses after chanelling most of their funds to funding trips to honour congested fixtures,” he said.

Nyamweya said FKF has mismanaged the transition in total disregard for other tournaments that Kenyan clubs compete in. He said this year, Gor Mahia has had to juggle between matches in Caf tournaments and those in SportPesa Premier League and SportPesa Shield, all running concurrently.

This, Nyamweya said, makes it difficult for teams to plan their finances, leading to chaos.

“I sympathise with the clubs, especially those that have to travel long distances for league matches like Bandari, Sony Sugar, Nzoia Sugar, Kakamega Homeboyz, Western Stima and Vihiga United. I doubt whether they will have funds to complete their fixtures,” Nyamweya said at KPA Mbaraki Sports Club on Saturday after SportPesa Shield quarter-final match between Bandari and Western Stima.

He said FKF should have zoned the league as has been done successfully in countries like Zambia.