Nakumatta FC players. [Photo/soka.co.ke]
Nakumatt FC and Zoo Kericho are eagerly awaiting their fate as the Court of Appeal is set to rule on an application filed by the two clubs to be reinstated back in the league.
Besides the two clubs, Football Kenya Football Federation (FKF) also moved to the appeals court to appeal against the High Court order that the top tier league should include sixteen teams and not eighteen as decided by the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) earlier this year.
According to FKF president Nick Mwendwa, players come first and as a federation, they will do anything possible to ensure the two teams are reinstated back to the league.
“We acted in a court order indicating that an 18-team league was an illegality and we felt duty bound to defend Nakumatt and Zoo and especially this time when the league is at an advanced stage. Zoo Kericho club chairman Ken Ochieng observed that the court move to expel the team meant that players are losing jobs because it has become difficult for the players to ply their trade following the court’s order. He is however confident that they will soon get back to the league.
Should the clubs be locked out, it would also lead to massive players and officials being affected. Nakumatt FC chairman Musomi says if the case at hand won’t be rectified they will have to let go of 37 people employed in the football club.
Former FKF Sam Nyamweya filed a case at the High Court wanting the top league not to be expanded to 18 teams and the court ruled in his favor. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has been summoned to world football governing body Fifa headquarters this week in view of the ruling made by the High Court.
Fifa prohibits recourse to ordinary courts in resolving sports disputes.