B. OdhiamboTwists and turns in Mwatate United, Dimba Patriots merger deal
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 09.09.23. | 08:57
Dimba Patriots alongside Mayenje Santos, Kona Rangers were relegated from the third-tier to the fourth-tier after they refused to honor matches protesting FKF's decision to nullify 2021-22 season that was run by the FKF Caretaker Committee claiming promotion and relegation from the leagues should have been effected.
Mwatate United's troubles seem to be far from over after a faction of the current regime led by the club's chairman Suleiman Mwambindo launched an appeal at the Football Kenya Federation Appeals Committee against FKF Leagues and Competition head Doreen Nabwire, club's founding chair James Okoyo, Dimba Patriots CEO Dick Arudo and his team manager Naftali Aseka over illegal sale of Mwatate.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Mwatate secretary Simeon Mkala noted that, Okoyo had handed over the management of the club under the request of the team sponsor Teita Estate Limited following the misappropriation of funds from the previous office and a change of management notice had been sent earlier to the football governing body in the country though it was ignored.
The disheartened Mkala further alluded that, Okoyo had used dubious means to officiate the sale of the club involving the use of fake names and signatures and despite several meetings and emails to the FKF notifying them of the scandal, the Mwambindo-led office was never listened to.
"We held several meetings with FKF and even told them Okoyo had officially handed over the club in a ceremony done at our premises infact the event is on record though none of the guys in the office listened to us," he offered.
Flanked by other members of the Taita-based club, Mkala noted that Mwatate is a community club and that its sale cannot be officiated by a single person but rather a community which at the moment had no such intentions.
"This is a community club which can not be sold without the people's knowledge, what will unite this community going forward?" He posed.
What next for Mwatate United?
As per the club's management, Mwatate are expected to feature in the FKF Division Two taking over the vacant slot created by Dimba Patriots who are set to grace the second tier after two seasons' absence from active football. However, the club's bosses are not giving up as they decided to seek legal redress in a bid to salvage the community-powered club.
"Having been aggrieved by the Ruling of the Head of FKF Leagues and Competitions communicated to us via her e-mail dated 5.9.2023, we hereby lodge the hereto attached Appeal dated 7.9.2023 against the same.
Kindly also find attached hereto our Application for Conservatory Orders of even date which has been brought under a Certificate of Urgency, the urgency being the FKF NSL 2023/2024 Season will commence on 16.9.2023 and we have not to date registered any of our players on account of the issues in dispute.
Kindly acknowledge receipt of this e-mail and urgently grant us audience, and further, if possible we request that this heard and determined within the next three (3) days from the date hereof," read part of the letter to the FKF Appeals Committee.
In the appeal document, they note that the appeal and annexed application has a high chance of success as they were not given an opportunity to be heard before the decisions from the respondent.
However, in a separate interview with us, James Okoyo denied using dubious means to officiate a merger with Dimba noting that he was the real owner of the club having started the team nine years ago and took it through all the league ranks up to the second tier and only handed the club to Suleiman Mwambindo team on a six-month time frame but they were unwilling to surrender back the club.
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