Its an 18-team KPL amid queries over running costs

The Sports Dispute Tribunal will sit with the Kenyan Premier League Limited and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) accountants on Friday afternoon, to determine the exact cost of running of an expanded top flight league.

The two parties, FKF and KPL, finally reached an agreement over the expansion tussle after a four-and-a-half-hour meeting held on Thursday at the SDT offices in Nairobi with accountants from both sides expected to present the full financial details.

The implementation of an 18-team league – two more than the traditional – will take its course beginning this season pending the appeals of Muhoroni Youth, Sofapaka FC and Thika United who were relegated to the second-tier for failing to comply with CAF licensing requirements.

“We have made a big progress, KPL and FKF agreed towards running an 18-team league in the 2017 season. We have a small matter of what it will cost to run it, therefore we detailed both sides to work with respective accountants to narrow down those figures, reconcile them and see what FKF needs to contribute to that kitty.

“Those accountants will reconvene here tomorrow morning, agree on those figures, report back to me and we finalize the agreement,” Ohaga said.

He revealed there was full disclosure of what KPL receives from the two league sponsors as FKF had requested before, which gave way to discussion of the figure the latter needs to inject to cater for the two extra clubs.

Initially, KPL had offered it was not possible to disclose the details citing a non-disclosure clause to any third party in the contract with the sponsors.

According to Ohaga, the two sides made remarkable strides towards sealing ‘a reasonable figure’, from the previous approximations where KPL wanted additional Ksh.69 million with FKF offering 36 million.

“They narrowed down to something more realistic, agreed on modalities to reduce costs, work best to see how team can be accommodated for example negotiating with hotels across the country to host teams at discounted prices and seeking bulk discounts from transport companies. The idea is working together for the benefit of the game,” Ohaga added.

He expressed confidence that the breakthrough realized in the Thursday’s meeting was key to ending the standoff that has paralyzed ratifying of fixtures for the 2017 season.

“The latest the league can kick-off is February 11 which makes it very critical that this agreement is reached and concluded before end of January. We started with a whole range of broad issues but we have now narrowed down to a single one, which we should finish fast and we are good to go.”

He diffused fears that there were heated disagreements in the sitting signaled by members of specific sides occasionally walking out; clarifying it was within his tactics of mediation that involved engaging each side at a time.

FKF President Nick Mwendwa, who led the federation’s delegation, charged his side was clear on the figures in the meeting, but KPL requested for more time to relook the details which necessitated Friday’s meeting.

“We knew very well how much is needed to do this. Our colleagues wanted another chance to look at the depth of the figure in case there is anything they missed on their side before we fix it,” Mwendwa stated.

The federation will however forego the KSh7 million licensing fee charged to KPL every season for running the league, apart from the amount that will finally be agreed they top up every season until September 2020 when the contract KPL was handed to run the league will be over.

Meanwhile, Sofapaka, Muhoroni and Thika United have been asked to resubmit their documents for licensing, after the FKF appeals board heard their petitions on Thursday.

The three clubs were relegated to the National Super League (NSL) for failing to get a CAF club licensing certificate.

According to Mwendwa, the clubs will know their fate on Wednesday next week, and give guidance on the exact number of teams that will play in the top tier.

“When they resubmit, they may succeed or not. If they succeed we shift to 1-teams league immediately otherwise it will be progressive.

“In an event where one or two of the three clubs makes it, we would rather have all in the league so that we are done with this expansion matter one and for all, but that one will depend on their submissions,” underscored Mwendwa.

Thika United Chief Executive Officer Mike Muruiki said he is confident their appeal will go through.

“We realized the documents we submitted in the first instance were not done in the prescribed manner. We have corrected the same and we are confident the appeals committee will reinstate us,” remarked.

Muhoroni Youth Chief Executive Officer James Orundu said they had also submitted the required documents, challenging the decision to relegate their teams insisting that relegation and promotion should only be determined on the field of play.

“It is unfair that we have been relegated for non-sporting reasons which is against Fifa and CAF relegations,” he observed.