KPL keep mum after Mwendwa contract tirade

The Kenya Premier League Limited refused to be drawn into the discussion regarding their contract to run the country’s top flight league after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) indicated they will not renew their partnership once the current deal expires in 2020.

The fractured relationship between the two bodies suffered fresh bruises this week following FKF’s decision to cancel the Mashemeji Derby, with the KPL Ltd responding by suing the federation at the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

Federation chief Nick Mwendwa looked jaded as the SDT ruled against the FKF, giving the league management body the liberty to decide the fate of the match that had been scheduled for Saturday.

In a night tirade outside the SDT offices, Mwendwa made it clear their current partnership is only a forced union he cannot wait to get done with.

“KPL do not want to be part of the process to build the game at the national level and I cannot do anything about it.

“Obviously we know that our relationship has not been the best but the clubs are very happy with us; they release players to us. We delegated the league administration to the KPL but they don’t feel the need to support the national team.

“Come 2020 we shall decide what next but for now we shall continue tussling with them until the contract expires then we will make a decision,” Mwenda said.

Speaking to Citizen Digital on Thursday, KPL CEO Jack Oguda steered clear of allegations made during the scathing criticism and refused to discuss their contract situation.

At the time, KPL had already announced it opted to postpone the match because there was ‘little time’ to prepare for the derby following consultations with its Executive Committee and AFC Leopards who were set to host the encounter at the Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.

“After the tribunal ruling, I held a meeting with our governing council committee and decided to postpone the match because derbies need more than just two days to prepare,” Oguda said.

FKF’s decision to cancel the derby had been to allow players from both teams participate in a couple Harambee Stars friendlies with Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea on Monday and Friday respectively.

Both matches will serve as build-ups for the forthcoming Four-Nation tournament in India.

Meanwhile, all other KPL matches will run as scheduled.