AFC Leopards chairman Shikanda: Don’t give Gor Mahia KPL title

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has maintained his stand that the 2019-20 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season should be declared null and void.

While the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moved to end the season and crown Gor Mahia the champions while promoting Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United, the KPL has insisted a decision on the league is yet to be made.

On two occasions, KPL plans to issue a stand on the league have been jolted by the extension of the nationwide curfew, with the latest being on Saturday when Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed the ban on all sporting activities and social gatherings will remain in force for another 30 days.

The decision by Kenyatta has left the Ingwe chairman also calling for the league managers to move quickly and make a decision, insisting the only way to have peace is by annulling the top-flight.

“My stands is still the same and it will not change, KPL should annul the league and allow teams to start afresh next season,” Shikanda told Goal on Monday.

“It will be a very big mistake to award Gor Mahia the trophy, even if it was AFC Leopards who were leading, I will not advocate we be given the title whereas we have not played all the matches.

“The simplest way for KPL to solve this puzzle once and for all is to declare the season null and avoid and allow Gor Mahia and Bandari to represent Kenya in Caf competitions, as AFC Leopards we don’t have any objection with that and it will remain our stand.”

Shikanda’s comments come a few hours after Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack also called on KPL to issue a final decision on the 2019-20 season.

“Thirty more days [extension of curfew] …it means we are now where we were three months ago, and let’s be honest, at the end of the current ban which ends on July 7, we will not be able to play the league,” Polack told Goal on Monday.

“Even if the President says we can now start sporting activities at the end of the 30 days, it will not be possible to play the league, we will need at least four to five weeks of training, which will take us to the middle of August, and then if we resume the league it will finish at the beginning of October.

"Then you will need to rest and have pre-season, meaning the new season can only start in November or December, which is not possible.

“For me, the KPL needs to make a decision now, do they nullify it, do they cancel it or do they award Gor Mahia trophy, so that everybody can get prepared for the new season which starts at the end of August.”

Gor Mahia are leading the 17-team league table on 54 points, seven more than second-placed Kakamega Homeboyz, who have a game in hand.