The Football Kenya Federation’s First Instance Body (FIB) officially granted licenses to all FKF Premier League clubs for the upcoming 2024/25 season.
However, the process has not been without its complications, as Sofapaka FC, Mara Sugar FC, and Bandari FC have received their licenses under strict conditions and with hefty sanctions due to various regulatory breaches.
Sofapaka FC flagged
Sofapaka FC’s license comes with significant conditions attached. The club has been flagged for overdue payments to former employees Collins Wakhungu and Paul Kiongera.
week. PHOTO/FKF
Acknowledging these debts, Sofapaka have pledged to settle them. In line with Article 61 of the FKF Men’s Club Licensing Regulations, the FIB has granted the club a conditional license, contingent on providing proof of payment or a mutually agreed payment plan by September 30, 2024.
Should Sofapaka fail to meet this deadline, their license will be revoked. Additionally, the club owes payments to three more international players, which will be addressed in the next season as they occurred after March 31.
FIFA has already sanctioned Sofapaka, prohibiting them from registering new players until these debts are cleared.
Mara Sugar FC’s license has been issued, but not without penalties. The club failed to submit updated contracts for several key staff members, including the Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Fitness Coach, Goalkeeper Coach, and Team Manager. As a result, the FIB imposed sanctions on the club for this non-compliance.
Mara Sugar FC now faces a daily penalty of Ksh 72,000 (Ksh 14,400 per contract) starting from August 23, 2024, until the necessary contracts are submitted.
Bandari FC found themselves in hot water after it was discovered that the club had outstanding payments to four former employees: Wilson Oduor Obungu, Daniel Mnyaro Mshamba, Kenneth Onyach Othieno, and David Kingatua Njuguini. The club failed to declare these debts, breaching the Club Licensing regulations.
Bandari FC license
After reviewing the documentation and court judgments, the FIB granted Bandari FC their license for the 2024/25 season but imposed severe sanctions for the submission of falsified documentation. Bandari FC have been fined Ksh 2.16 million.
The club is required to clear both the outstanding debts and the imposed fine within three months. Alternatively, Bandari can submit a detailed payment plan, approved by all involved parties, outlining how they will resolve these financial obligations within the given timeframe.
