Nairobi News

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have withdrawn from the Kenyan Premier League Limited all rights of organizing the top flight league, and have promised to unveil their 18-team league’s sponsor next week.

These were the resolutions reached after a daylong Special General Meeting attended by all 18 FKF delegates in Kakamega, where the national football administrator announced that the National Executive Council will engage with broadcasters SuperSport and title sponsors Tusker in restructuring a new partnership with the new look FKF Premier League.

Speaking to Nairobi News, FKF vice president Robert Asembo said the league would kick off on February 14, 2015, with Nakumatt FC and Kakamega Homeboyz as the additional teams.

“We have exhausted all articles in our constitution in coming up with these recommendations and we have also put into consideration the Fifa statutes. FKF will play an oversight role in the management of football, while the FKFPL will run the country’s top flight league. All participating clubs will meet on February 5, 2015 for a proper briefing,” he said.

AFFILIATE BODIES

The delegates have also agreed that all existing sponsors, partners and KPL affiliate bodies will be accommodated in the new structure, and that the sponsor will pay for match venues and club officials.

Asembo also revealed that the delegates agreed on a seven-tier league where the lowest level of competition will be at ward level, and that a women’s league will also be run on the same format.

An under 15 and under 17 junior league is also part of FKF’s league plans. All this, Asembo said, is in accordance with the FKF constitution’s articles 17, 19 and 28.

This is FKF’s strongest indication of their unrelenting determination to increase the number of teams, and the well documented resolutions set the stage for a major showdown between the two football governing bodies especially considering the fact that most club chairmen have expressed reluctance in embracing the new look 18-team league format.