Why it is good news for Vihiga United players

What you need to know:

  • The team is currently run by an Executive Committee chaired by Kahi Indimuli but does not directly manage any allocation towards the team, making it difficult to ensure regular cash flow for the Kenyan Premier League side.
  • "If the Bill and the Fund will not be in place by the end of this year, then we will be forced to extend the contract of the players by another three months from January next year," said Dr Saisi.

SportPesa Premier League side Vihiga United's players are set to be paid their salary arrears for two months, the County government confirmed on Tuesday.

Ahead of the start of the 2018/19 season this weekend, Vihiga Queens FC, whose players have also gone without pay for the last two months will also receive their pay, Deputy Governor Patrick Saisi announced on Tuesday.

The two teams, sponsored by the Vihiga County government are owed a total of Sh4.8 million for the past wo months.

Dr Saisi, who was speaking to journalists in his Mbale office, also said the team will also get facilitation for the coming games.

He admitted there was a delay in paying salaries and allowances for the months of October and November, adding that the situation that led to the delay was still being addressed to stop similar occurrences in future.

"The contracts of the players ended in September and were not immediately renewed leading to the delay in processing their salaries in October and November," said Dr Saisi.

To stop the stalemate caused by unpaid salaries from recurring, Dr Saisi said the county government was in the process of enacting a legislation that would lead to the establishment of a Sports Fund.

The Fund, he said, would receive an annual allocation for the men's' team, Vihiga United FC, and the women's team, Vihiga Queens.

"We (county government) don't want to directly handle payment of salaries for the players. Football Kenya Federation has advised us as such. We therefore wand a Fund in place and a board established to manage the affairs of the team, including paying salaries," he said.

The team is currently run by an Executive Committee chaired by Kahi Indimuli but does not directly manage any allocation towards the team, making it difficult to ensure regular cash flow for the Kenyan Premier League side.

"If the Bill and the Fund will not be in place by the end of this year, then we will be forced to extend the contract of the players by another three months from January next year," said Dr Saisi.

Indimuli, the Vihiga United chairman, said there was need to pay the October and November salaries first when the rest of the county government staff receive their November salaries.

"The county government is working on a memorandum of understanding that will enable the Executive Committee manage the salaries for the team," said Mr Indimuli.