‘Old men should now give way' – Mwendwa states as FKF Premier League is set to kick-off

Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa has hit out at some Premier League chairmen over the ongoing push and pull over the StarTimes sponsorship deal.

Whereas a number of clubs have signed the undertaking, Gor Mahia, Zoo and Mathare United are understood to have rebelled against the arrangement of the sponsorship deal.

“They have been in football for the last 17 years and have got nothing to show for it, now when we have brought sponsorship, they still want to fight it,” Mwendwa told Goal without mentioning any specific official.

“We don't have time to discuss 'old men', the bus has taken off, for the last three years they had the chance to give us sponsors but could not do it, so why are they fighting now when we have managed to give them two sponsors?”

Mwendwa also stated how the ongoing disagreements between clubs and the federation might affect the newly-signed deal with the FKF Premier League broadcasting partner.

“KPL never got a sponsor in three years, they don't have money to give clubs and now they are fighting even without money. All we want is our players to stop suffering,” he added.

“A neighbouring country has got double of what we have got from the sponsors but sponsors are asking us why there is fighting.”

He also distanced himself with the internal conflicts that have affected a number of clubs like Gor Mahia. The friction at Gor Mahia is so intense that the suspension and ultimatums have been made in the last two days.

“I don't know why they have not signed, you can look for them and ask them,” Mwendwa concluded.

“We want sponsors to give the promised first batch of money but it is now becoming difficult as they are not happy with the squabbles going on.

“At some point, they even want to pull out just because a few individuals don't want to sign the endorsement.

“I will not talk about the clubs, we have an endorsement and as we speak we are testing Gor Mahia for Covid-19 ahead of the league’s kick-off.

“I am not interested in what the Gor Mahia chairman is saying because the clubs decided on their own.”

In preparation of the new season, FKF has had to realign their schedules as well as the dates of kick-off three times.

The new season will start without the attendance of fans since the ban on social gathering is still active.