Several FKF Premier League clubs set to collapse next week, warns Mathare United’s Munro

Mathare United chairman Bob Munro has warned that several clubs in the FKF Premier League will collapse next week owing to a lack of finances.

In a letter marked as urgent and sent to the FKF caretaker committee through the head of Secretary Linda Ogutu, Munro has stated only nine clubs out of the 18 taking part in the top-flight are currently financially stable.

Munro has called on the caretaker committee led by retired Justice Aaron Ringera to cushion clubs in the top-flight by giving them grants or else they will have no teams in the top-tier from next week.

‘Only nine clubs are presently stable financially’

“In your email on December 23rd, you reassuringly wrote that you 'are working with the ministry to resolve and ensure that no club collapses over financial instability',” Munro said in the letter dated January 2 and obtained by GOAL.

“Among other key issues, the attached chart and related points show that; clubs’ financial problems are due to a series of escalating external crises [e.g Covid.]

“Today, only nine of the 18 Premier League clubs are presently stable financially, of the nine stable clubs, five are funded by the government of Kenya, agencies/ parastatals.”

The statement continued: “The nine unstable clubs now owe two to three months in salary arrears to players and coaches.

“Consequently, without urgent and major Sports Ministry/FKF committee grants this week, the most vulnerable and likely community-based clubs will collapse in one or two weeks.

‘Walkovers will rise as clubs lack funds’

“Walkovers will rise as clubs lack funds and/or desperate players boycott matches, FKF PL rankings will soon reflect largely financial power rather than sporting merit.

“FKF PL will increasingly be dominated by clubs funded by the government agencies and parastatals.

“Moreover, this imminent FKF PL crisis is also a humanitarian crisis, the collapse of only one club also means the financial collapse of at least 40 innocent and already desperate families, especially as school fees are due this week.

“Sadly, without urgent and major Ministry/FKF committee financial support this week, club collapses over financial instability will inevitably escalate in the next one to two weeks.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, the club collapses by next weekend will definitely include Mathare United.”

Two weeks ago, Mathare requested the committee to postpone their fixture against Tusker but their appeal was turned down and they went on to lose 4-1.

When taking over from the dissolved FKF office which was led by Nick Mwendwa, the committee promised to give clubs a monthly grant of Ksh300, 000, but almost two months down the line, they have not remitted the same.