Embattled Football Kenya Federation supremo Nick Mwendwa has sent a new signal in regards to the 2022/23 FKF Premier League season kick-off dates.
Reacting to the coronation of Police FC as the Elite Pre-Season Cup champions after edging Nairobi City Stars 2-0 in the final staged at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, Mwendwa directed premier league clubs to sharpen their cutting edges as the new season begins in early November 2022.
“Something like this. Now let’s train. the true league, the sanctioned one, the one and only FKF Premier league starts end of this month. I will give you a date this coming week. Let’s do this.” Mwemdwa said.
The FKF boss made a return to kenyan football scene last month after he resigned from his job in November 2021 over reported funds embezzlement at the federation. He came back with a KES1 million sponsorship package for the concluded Elite Pre-Season Cup.
Meanwhile, his message to the FKF Premier League clubs comes a day after the FKF Premier League Transition Committee postponed the commencement of the particular league that was slated for October 1 to a later date again.
“Please note that the kick-off of the 2022/2023 league season has been postponed to a date that will be communicated soon. The committee has received several requests from clubs to postpone the league until the uncertainty surrounding the league is addressed,” reads a statement by the committee.
The move was arrived at after Premier League clubs refused to participate in a league organised by the same committee whose mandate comes to an end on October 15. The clubs said they cannot be a part of a league that is not FIFA recognised as the earlier sanctions against Kenya by FIFA are yet to be lifted.
However, the trend of moving the league kick-off is not palatable according to Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula.
In a statement, Shimanyula argues that the recurring scenario is costing Premier League clubs heavily in pre-season, hence calling upon stakeholders to come to a long lasting solution and resolve the stalemate.
“The consistent postponement of Premier League kick-off is not all healthy for teams that are investing very heavily in pre-season. Stakeholders must come to an agreement and decide once and for all when the league should begin. As Kakamega Homeboyz, we are well prepared.”
Meanwhile, the existing tag of war between the FKF chief and the former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohamed could arguably be buried after Ababu Namwamba was appointed the new Sports CS by Kenya’s new President William Ruto.
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