Axed Wazito players cry foul over their dues, want prompt compensation

Joseph Saasia in Nairobi

A section of Wazito players who were shown the door on Monday are now demanding to be paid the remainder of their contracts.

The axe fell just a day after their former coach Stewart Hall left the club, allegedly  on ‘mutual consent’.

They include Victor Ndinya, Teddy Osok,  Derrick Otanga, goalkeeper Steve Njung’e , Kevin Omondi , Augustine Otu, Piscas Kirenge, Issioffu Bourahana and Paul Acquah.

Through his Twitter account, the club’s tough talking owner Ricardo Badoer hinted at a cleaning process, which will see players signed behind his back dismissed.

“Today the Wazito FC cleaning continues. Kicking out no good… players that were recruited without my approval. All they did was to eat my money and lose games. I wish them the best on…streets where they belong. They lacked self respect and love for the game,” club owner Badoer tweeted after the game, a tweet raced with expletives.

Citizen Digital has now however learnt that some of the players dismissed on Monday are now exploring avenues to fight for compensation terming the purge unlawful.

“I received a call from one of the club officials and when I went to the office, I was given a termination letter. Nobody explained to me if I was going to be paid the reminder of my contract, my contract was terminated without notice as required by labour laws, It was a sad experience,” said one player who sought anonymity.

“The boss recently told us he wouldn’t reduce his workforce or implement salary cuts because he cares for our families.

Now we are faced with hard times, there is no football and we are not sure when we will be paid,” he added.

Reached for comment, club CEO Dennis Gicheru was non-committal on when they would pay the axed players their dues.

“The owner of the club is on the issue and each and every player will be called. I can’t say more but we shall reach a mutual agreement with them on how to sort out the issue,” said Gicheru.

Termed as the Kenyan Premier League moneybags, the club has spent fortunes every transfer window beefing up the squad with little success on the field.