KPL clubs given June licensing rules deadline

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) clubs have until June 30 to compile and submit their documentation ahead of the 2018-2019 Club Licensing assessment.

All the KPL clubs will be evaluated on five criteria; Administration & Personnel, Club Infrastructure, Finance, Legal, and Sporting with those scoring below 50 percent set to be relegated to a lower division.

Those who will score between 50 percent and 69 percent, will be issued a provisional licence while those attaining a score of 70 percent and above will be issued a full licence.

It follows a two-day workshop organised by KPL where representatives from all the 18 top flight clubs were taken through the Licensing processes and procedures.

“The Club Licensing process will be conducted in a free and fair manner by an independent body, First Instance Body, comprising of Dr. Edwin Wamukoya, Lilian Nzile, Paul Makumi, Paul Ochieng’, and Peter Karanja.

“Clubs are urged to offer their full co-operation to the FIB and uphold a high level of integrity during the licensing process.

Members of this body will be bound by a non-disclosure agreement and therefore contents of any documents that they will receive from clubs during this exercise will remain safe, private, and confidential,” a press statement from the KPL read.

Last year, the Club Licensing stirred controversy when three KPL clubs – Muhoroni Youth FC, Sofapaka FC and Thika United – were demoted to the second-tier National Super League (NSL) after failing to meet its requirements.

A bitter standoff followed between the KPL Limited and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) as the league management body vehemently opposed the relegation of the trio.

However, Thika won a petition against the decision and were duly reinstated as the federation rejected appeals from Sofapaka and Muhoroni.

The two then lodged their cases at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) where they were readmitted months after the KPL had officially kicked off with their exclusion.