County government blamed for Vihiga United's poor show in KPL

Lack of funding and delayed salaries have been the major causes of Vihiga United's poor Kenyan Premier League (KPL) campaign, Goal can reveal.

A close source within the club who spoke exclusively with Goal, has revealed that the current county administration has been reluctant to facilitate the team with financial resources.

"Funding has been the major issue at Vihiga United and that has negatively impacted on our campaign. Unlike the previous government, the current one has been reluctant to bankroll the team," the unnamed source told Goal.

"Salaries for the players have delayed unlike before when they were paid promptly. The February and March salaries were combined and paid in mid-April and you can imagine the struggle the players underwent then."

The source revealed that the team has been able to honour their match obligations because the club chairman, Oahu Indimuli, has been intervening on their behalf from time to time.

"In fact, it has taken the efforts of Indimuli to help the team honour matches. He and a few other people have been using their own resources to see that Vihiga United are capable of playing be at home or away," the source added.

"The last two games of the first leg and the majority of them in the second leg have been financed by Oahu Indimuli."

The KPL wires Sh300, 000 worth of monthly grants to competing clubs but Vihiga United, according to the source, need more than that.

"The grants from KPL has helped a little bit but that is completely not enough. For example, if we have to honour a match in Machakos, we require a minimum of Shs315,000," he explained.

"It has also been a challenge to have a full house for training sessions. We have players like our captain Bernard Ochieng who is staying in Kisumu and some are from Luanda meaning if salaries are delayed and facilitation is not provided sometimes commuting becomes a big issue."

The signing of players in the last two transfer windows was also a bone of contention between the county government and the team management.

"The coach wanted to reinforce the team before the season and in mid-season but the county government claimed there was no money to cater for the new acquisitions," he concluded.

"They (the county government) claimed that the club should have signed players from the surrounding schools instead of going for experienced players."

Vihiga United have 25 points and are 17th on the KPL table with three matches remaining in the season.