This archive report was first published on 26 November 2019.
Shabana, a National Super League side, is facing a crisis ahead of their weekend fixture against Mt Kenya. The team's players have been absent from training sessions due to unpaid salaries, leaving the team's preparations in shambles.
According to head coach Andrew Kanuli, the team's financial woes have been ongoing since the start of the season, with the club failing to attract a sponsorship deal. As a result, the team's top brass has been engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with the players, giving unfulfilled promises.
Speaking to Citizen Digital, Kanuli lamented the team's situation, saying, "The players were on a go-slow for a better part of last week, citing unpaid September and November salaries, and I feel that led to our 2-0 defeat against Fortune Sacco."
The team's financial struggles have been exacerbated by the recent sponsorship of the NSL by a betting company, which has only provided a temporary solution. The first tranche of the sponsorship money, Sh750,000, is expected to sustain the team for less than two months.
However, team manager Elijah Sani disputed Kanuli's claims, saying that the aborted Tuesday morning training session was a result of miscommunication and that the players are expected to resume training on Wednesday morning.
Despite the team's efforts to resolve the issue, their promotion ambitions are in jeopardy due to the ongoing financial turmoil.
