Petra urges FKF league clubs to pay refs in time

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President Doris Petra has urged clubs featuring in its leagues to adhere to their commitment of paying referees in time.

“All the clubs under FKF know that the Federation has not yet secured a sponsorship and as agreed in the meeting, clubs will have to pay the required cash to enable them to honour their fixtures,” Petra announced.

“When we get sponsorship we will even do better than the Kenyan Premier League but for now all clubs know that we are still not there yet. If they have issues why don’t they raise with the appropriate people?”The former FKF Leagues and Competitions Director questioned.

This comes after a Nationwide Division One League Zone B outfit, Lubinu Rangers Secretary, Jack Makokha asked FKF to deal with the financial constraints league sides are facing.

The secretary lamented it has not been easy to pay Ksh7,500 to referees every match.

“FKF is supposed to get a sponsor so as we may get out of this difficult situation. Be it home or away every team is supposed to pay referees and hire three police officers for a home team to enhance security. All this money put together it adds up to almost Ksh25,000 per,” he said.

Shikoti Bullets team manager Kefa Juma says that this club which plays in Western Provincial league usually pays Ksh1,700 per match for referees besides accommodation, food, training, kit and transport for the players.

“In every home match the team parts with close to Ksh7,000 while away fixture costs close to  Ksh15,000.

“We don’t have sponsorship that helps us in running the affairs of the club even though we get some money from former Harambee Stars player who lives in Norway, Bonaventure Maruti together with former player Lemi Omollo,” he decried.

The team manager has also added that the club’s official raise funds by chipping in so as they may meet the required cash.

In 2012 former FKF, Sam Nyamweya ordered clubs cease paying referees directly that saved lower league clubs some Ksh133,000 before the new administration reversed the decision.