NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 22 – Kenyan Premier League clubs have formed a five-member transitional team that will be tasked with working on modalities of running the top tier next season as the mandate of the current company, KPL Limited runs out on September 21.
The five-member team will include Ulinzi Stars’ Col Erick Oloo, Kariobangi Sharks’ Robert Maoga, Zoo’s Ken Ochieng, AFC Leopards’ Dan Shikanda and Tusker’s Daniel Aduda.
The five were appointed after a meeting between them and the Football Kenya Federation via video-link on Wednesday morning, where they were also briefed on the new sponsorship from Nigerian betting partner BetKing.
“The committee has been mandated with drafting proposals on how the FKF Premier League will be run post-KPL, including the possibility of clubs voting for an independent chairman to lead the new league body,” a statement from the Federation read.
Representatives from 17 of the 18 KPL clubs, bar Sofapaka, attended the meeting.
With KPL’s mandate set to run out in September, FKF boss Nick Mwendwa was categorical they will not be renewing the mandate.
“It is a registered company and to be honest we don’t want to get involved in what they do after this. We have already made the decision to run the league from Kandanda House and we will agree with the clubs on the way forward,” Mwendwa told Capital Sport in an interview last week.
Mwendwa also hinted that they are thinking of having one executive chairman who will have no affiliation to any club and will be assisted by two from clubs.
However, they are yet to agree on whether a new company will be formed to run the top tier or they will work with a board. The five-member team named on Wednesday will explore these possibilities.
At the same time, Mwendwa has updated the clubs that the Federation will receive almost Sh13mn (120,000 USD) as the first instalment of payment in the next coming days.
According to the agreement, the Federation will also receive an advance payment of Sh75mn (693,334 USD) one month before the start of the season. They will also receive this equivalent on or before the third and sixth month of the season respectively.
Under the new sponsorship agreement, clubs are set to receive Sh8mn a season, just over Sh500,000 more than they used to receive when South African company Supersport was the league’s broadcast partner.
