This archive report was first published on 15 October 2019.
October 15, 2019, marked a significant day in the Kenya Premier League as some clubs requested the league to be halted due to financial struggles. However, Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa has come out strongly against this suggestion.
Clubs such as Kisumu All-Stars, Mathare United, Chemelil Sugar, Sony Sugar, and Kakamega Homeboyz have requested the league to be stopped until a tangible solution is found. However, Kalekwa believes that this is against the club licensing rules.
'We were victims of the club licensing rules back in 2016, so it can't be that every time a club lacks funds we stop the league, that's not acceptable and it's against the rules of competition in the Kenya Premier League,' Kalekwa said.
He added, 'It's a nonsense call to stop the league. Any club that will give out three walkovers should be kicked out in respect to KPL rules.'
Kalekwa wants the league to continue because even the money they get from KPL is not enough to run a club. He believes that the solution lies in the clubs coming together to help KPL get new sponsors.
'The solution on all this is for the clubs to come together and help KPL to get new sponsors because we cannot even get government support if we stop the league, the league must go on and we will not bend the rules because a few clubs feel they don't have money,' Kalekwa said.
