The Kenyan Premier League match officials are suffering in silence as they have not been paid their allowances since the beginning of the current season, Soka25east can reveal.
For the past five match days, the arbiters have been forced to dig deep into their pockets to honor matches and there is no promise that things will improve soon.
The situation according to one referee, who didn’t want to be mentioned, is badly affecting their work, but the KPL management seems not to be bothered by their plight.
“No one is telling us anything, to them things are going on well,” the ref told Soka25east.
Match day officials are appointed by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) but their well-being including allowances are taken cared of by the Kenyan Premier League management.
In the past, clubs would split the costs but with the arrivals of sponsors a decade ago the role was assumed by the KPL.
Sponsors have since left and the KPL appears to be unable to honor the obligation hence exposing the Kenya’s top flight to risks of match manipulation.
Match officials assigned away fixtures and have to travel long distances to do duty have complained of fatigue as they get little time to rest.
Before they would travel a day before a game and spend a night but they can no longer afford the “luxury.”
“The situation has forced some match officials to travel for example to Mombasa at night arrive in the morning take a cup of tea then go straight for pre-match meeting and thereafter officiate the match and travel back immediately to cut on expenses.
“Some refs borrow money to honor matches hoping to refund after getting paid but the money is not forthcoming.”
General welfare of match officials has not improved since 2009 according to the ref. Referees and their assistants for example have not been kitted for the past three years.
“There are individuals at KPL who are a hindrance to an improved welfare of match officials because they usually say ‘you guys are being paid very well, during our days we earned nothing’ not knowing times have changed.
“For three years now referees have not been kitted; the last time was when Umbro was among KPL sponsors nowadays we put on whatever uniform we have.”
KPL refs are paid according to location; those in Nairobi and are officiating within and around the region take home Kshs 5,550 per game while those who travel to Thika, Machakos, Nakuru or Narok pocket Kshs 8,000.
Refs who travel to Kisumu or Kakamega are paid 10,500 and those who do duty in Mombasa are the highest paid and pocket Kshs 11,500.
