Following pleas by a section of Kenyan Clubs to have the Kenya Premier League suspended, the KPL Governing Council has resolved that the Kenya Premier League season will go on as planned.
Kenya Premier League clubs are running broke following the withdrawal of sponsorship by giant betting firm SportPesa earlier this year. The situation is already having dire effects on some teams and on matchday five, Sony Sugar failed to turn up for their home clash against AFC Leopards are handed in a walkover.
However, in a statement sent to newsrooms by the Leagues Chief Executive Officer Jack Oguda, KPL has ruled that the league will go on as initially scheduled.
On Thursday, October 17, 2019, the KPL Governing Council resolved that the 2019-20 Season shall proceed as scheduled and that Clubs must abide by the Rules Governing Kenyan Football. The decision was reached amidst calls to suspend the League while acknowledging that there is a financial crisis in the League and Clubs after the withdrawal of its main sponsor.
However, the League is committed to continuously improving the product, use football as a force for good, support football development and act with integrity for the sake of its reputation and sanity. As it stands, we have approached various corporates but due to the current economic situation in the country, the offers being tabled do not meet the demands of the League. It takes time to formalize any sponsorship deal since most corporates operate on running budgets which were already set in the beginning of their respective financial year, The statement read.
The League committee also pleaded with the government to aid in ensuring that the league is well run atleatfor the short term before a new sponsor is found.
We would like to formally plead with the Government to step in and provide a short term financial solution to facilitate the smooth running of the League. Notably, some of the teams are actually struggling to honor both local and international matches whilst players and officials risk losing their employment. Our further appeal is specifically extended to the PS State Department of Sports, Ministry of Sports, Culture & Heritage to fast track the completion of Nyayo National Stadium which is the best arena to showcase the League.
In the long run, we appeal to the Government to help clubs lobby for a change in the legal regime governing sports in the country in which clubs continue to believe would help in financial self-sustainability. In addition, we also appeal for more tax incentives to corporates that are supporting the sport and to other football stakeholders (fans, corporates) to come and support the beautiful game.
The Kenya Premier League resumes this weekend following a two weeks International Break with all 18 teams set to be in action.