Football administrator Sam Nyamweya has requested the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) to consider allowing three clubs initially sponsored by the company to be sponsored by other investors.
Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Western Stima and two National Super League sides, Coast Stima and Nairobi Stima were initially under the KPLC before they pulled out.
"We the football stakeholders were taken aback by the announcement by Kenya Power and Lighting Company of withdrawing sponsorship from three of its football teams participating in the Kenyan Premier League and the second-tier League the National Super League, citing the adverse business environment owing to the Covid-19 pandemic," the Football Kenya Federation Presidential candidate said in a letter addressed to the company's Managing Director and CEO Bernard Ngugi and obtained by Goal.
"It is without a doubt that the KPLC has consistently and over the years supported football through the innovative Charity Cup and by sponsoring their own Company branded football teams.
"The withdrawal of a trusted partner like Kenya Power and Lighting Company is devastating to the football ecosystem and the consequences are far-reaching.
"The immediate casualties being Western Stima FC a top Kenyan Premier League club which has been consistent and posted good results over the years in the Kenyan Premier League, the other casualties are the National Super League sides Nairobi Stima who finished fourth and their sister club Coast Stima which finished seventh on the Log in the National Super League 2019/2020 League season."
Nyamweya has gone ahead to propose ways in which the three clubs can get another sponsor to continue taking part in their respective leagues in future.
"I propose that Kenya Power and lighting company consider reverting Coast Stima Football club to its original status as a community club based in Mombasa and revert to its previous name Coast United FC.
"The County Government of Mombasa through His Excellency Governor Ali Joho considers sponsoring Coast United which, for all intents and purposes, represents the football face of the Coastal Community and specifically that of Mombasa without prejudice to Bandari FC and Modern Coast Rangers equally teams from Mombasa County."
The County of Nairobi has been challenged to adopt Nairobi Stima and rebrand it to Nairobi County FC as well. However, Nyamweya proposes something else on the Kisumu based side.
"Western Stima FC, whose name connotes a close association with western region Counties, though in practice Western Stima is a Kisumu based team, considers relocating to the North Rift Region and be adopted, sponsored and rebranded by either Uasin Gishu County Government, Trans Nzoia County Government, Nandi County or Elgeyo Marakwet County Government.
"The rationale for the relocation of Western Stima to the North Rift region is three-fold, one the North Rift Region has not had a team in the top tier league for a while, two there is enormous talent in the North Rift Region that can be harnessed to make the team a powerhouse in Kenyan football, three Kakamega County is sponsoring Kakamega Homeboyz and Kisumu County is Sponsoring Kisumu All-stars and it will be highly unlikely for the two Counties to sponsor an additional team and more so a top tier team whose budget is quite high."
The administrator believes this is the only way for the clubs to continue existing after the departure of KPLC.
"It is my considered opinion that if my proposal is well received and accepted it will cushion the players from loss of income and a platform to showcase their talents, the same will trigger a football renaissance in the proposed counties and the enormous investment by Kenya Power and Lighting Company will be safeguarded and secured."
