Macharia goes to war with FKF over gung-ho management style

Outspoken Murang'a Seal chairman Robert Macharia has faulted Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for coercing FKF Premier League clubs into giving away their broadcast rights without full disclosure of contract details.

FKF and satellite broadcaster Azam Media penned a long term league broadcast deal last month but the company is yet to start beaming the games owing to the underlying issues.

The current standoff has uncanny semblance to another situation when FKF and Startimes entered into a television broadcast deal that clubs vehemently resisted.

Somehow FKF managed to create havoc within the hardliners, luring factions to put pen to paper. Acrimony followed the deal until Startimes pulled out citing various infractions by FKF.

The players have changed, at least one, but the same issues that dogged Startimes are haunting Azam before the first Premier League match is televised.

"As a legal mind I cannot sign of my club's rights without going through the fine print. FKF need to give clubs the entire contract so that we can also read, understand and sign away our rights while fully aware of what is at stake," a steadfast Macharia said

Clubs are accusing the federation of sidelining them in matters that directly affect their wellbeing.

The depth of fallout is not clear yet as other clubs silently oppose FKF’s unilateral move to pen a long term contract without their involvement.

A section of club chairmen have however voiced support for the Nick Mwendwa led federation for the deal their hails as a game changer.

Among the pro federation is Muhoroni Youth’s Moses Adagala, a one-time fierce critic of FKF under Mwendwa.