07 April 2009
KENYA : Crisis as the 2009 National fails to throw off as scheduled
Since it was inaugurated in 1987, with a total of seven men's teams, the Kenya national classic league has always got off as planned over the years.
But for the first time in its 22 year history, it failed to get off the ground over the weekend. Team managers decided that unless they sit down with Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) to address some critical issues it will not start.
For the basketball fraternity, this situation is a worrying one. So what could have happened that this year's edition could not get off at the usual venue of Coca Cola National Stadium - previously Nyayo. ?
KBF called for team managers on March 21 at the KCB sports Club, Ruaraka. This was during the pre season tournament. While the team managers arrived with questions to put across to the national officials for deliberations. It was a no show with only fixtures secretary Joseph Amoko in attendance.
Amoko could only handle matters pertaining to the league fixtures, not constitution, not accounts and not anything else. Managers were not amused. How could they call us for a meeting they were not ready to preside over ?
They all thought they were being taken for a ride yet clubs like Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) had incurred expenses sending their representatives from Mombasa for the meeting. This seemingly was the straw that broke the camel's back.
As if nothing ever happened, only a few days latter the fixtures were send out to the clubs. To KBF this seemed a pretty normal scenario. To the teams it was not. And now there is a stalemate.
The teams decided they were not going to honour the fixtures until such a time that a meeting was convened and matters resolved. They called one on April 4- the day the league was to start- at the very venue !
The message seemed to have reached home- because there were only a few players and fans at the Stadium. KBF had drawned a four game card for both days.
The managers agenda number one was the league. The other was the constitution. The stakeholders present hit the points home one after the other. And this is what they decided.
They took issues with KBF wondered aloud how the national officials could dare fail to attend a meeting at the KCB Sports Club two weeks ago yet they were the ones who called for it !
"It was very sad that KBF, who have very little expenses to meet, called us for a meeting and some of us were sponsored by their institutions only for them (KBF) to take a flight elsewhere." one angry official told the meeting.
The team managers accused KBF of high handedness by insisting "the league was going to start as scheduled while they have not met us." and vowed nothing will go on," until things will have been sorted out."
This well attended meeting, chairman by veteran George Namake reportedly had all the teams except the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kisumu Lakeside and Blazers sides.
The meeting decided that the constitution must be changed to allow teams have a vote during the national elections "as they have suffered enough over the years".
"This is a problems that begun last year. Lets no one think we are fighting KBF, we just feel things are going wrong and no one is addressing them." said one stakeholder adding that "We will ignor KBF fixtures until they meet with us."
They agreed that a league and competitions committee be constituted to do an alternative fixtures ready by next week before they meet KBF on April 18 to chart the way forward for the game in the country forever. They proposed April 25 as new dates for league.
The committee to be composed of coaches, referees, university, corporate and self sponsored teams was named to work hand in hand with Amoko. If KBF trash it, they will unveil their plan B.
They settled on the seven namely -Dennis Chute, Nelly Odera, Edson Mogisha (self sponsored), Tony Ochieng (university), Samuel Oyoo (churches), Chris Ogutu and Angela Luchivya (corporate). There will be two more representing the coaches and referees.
In the coaches committee, they agreed on Thomas Olumbo, Carey Oketch, Emmanuel Ochieng and Sammy Wanjohi. KBF second vice chairman Chris Kinyua attended.
From that meeting, it now clear that basketball in the country is at crossroads. KBF must come out and meet the stakeholders. And as the team managers say, they are at war with no one and wants to sit down for a lasting solution.
KBF have set April 18 as a date they will meet the stakeholders. This is very welcome news for the games fraternity. Its less than two weeks. The two parties must agree. There is no two way about it.
Dann OWERRE
FIBA Africa
But for the first time in its 22 year history, it failed to get off the ground over the weekend. Team managers decided that unless they sit down with Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) to address some critical issues it will not start.
For the basketball fraternity, this situation is a worrying one. So what could have happened that this year's edition could not get off at the usual venue of Coca Cola National Stadium - previously Nyayo. ?
KBF called for team managers on March 21 at the KCB sports Club, Ruaraka. This was during the pre season tournament. While the team managers arrived with questions to put across to the national officials for deliberations. It was a no show with only fixtures secretary Joseph Amoko in attendance.
Amoko could only handle matters pertaining to the league fixtures, not constitution, not accounts and not anything else. Managers were not amused. How could they call us for a meeting they were not ready to preside over ?
They all thought they were being taken for a ride yet clubs like Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) had incurred expenses sending their representatives from Mombasa for the meeting. This seemingly was the straw that broke the camel's back.
As if nothing ever happened, only a few days latter the fixtures were send out to the clubs. To KBF this seemed a pretty normal scenario. To the teams it was not. And now there is a stalemate.
The teams decided they were not going to honour the fixtures until such a time that a meeting was convened and matters resolved. They called one on April 4- the day the league was to start- at the very venue !
The message seemed to have reached home- because there were only a few players and fans at the Stadium. KBF had drawned a four game card for both days.
The managers agenda number one was the league. The other was the constitution. The stakeholders present hit the points home one after the other. And this is what they decided.
They took issues with KBF wondered aloud how the national officials could dare fail to attend a meeting at the KCB Sports Club two weeks ago yet they were the ones who called for it !
"It was very sad that KBF, who have very little expenses to meet, called us for a meeting and some of us were sponsored by their institutions only for them (KBF) to take a flight elsewhere." one angry official told the meeting.
The team managers accused KBF of high handedness by insisting "the league was going to start as scheduled while they have not met us." and vowed nothing will go on," until things will have been sorted out."
This well attended meeting, chairman by veteran George Namake reportedly had all the teams except the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kisumu Lakeside and Blazers sides.
The meeting decided that the constitution must be changed to allow teams have a vote during the national elections "as they have suffered enough over the years".
"This is a problems that begun last year. Lets no one think we are fighting KBF, we just feel things are going wrong and no one is addressing them." said one stakeholder adding that "We will ignor KBF fixtures until they meet with us."
They agreed that a league and competitions committee be constituted to do an alternative fixtures ready by next week before they meet KBF on April 18 to chart the way forward for the game in the country forever. They proposed April 25 as new dates for league.
The committee to be composed of coaches, referees, university, corporate and self sponsored teams was named to work hand in hand with Amoko. If KBF trash it, they will unveil their plan B.
They settled on the seven namely -Dennis Chute, Nelly Odera, Edson Mogisha (self sponsored), Tony Ochieng (university), Samuel Oyoo (churches), Chris Ogutu and Angela Luchivya (corporate). There will be two more representing the coaches and referees.
In the coaches committee, they agreed on Thomas Olumbo, Carey Oketch, Emmanuel Ochieng and Sammy Wanjohi. KBF second vice chairman Chris Kinyua attended.
From that meeting, it now clear that basketball in the country is at crossroads. KBF must come out and meet the stakeholders. And as the team managers say, they are at war with no one and wants to sit down for a lasting solution.
KBF have set April 18 as a date they will meet the stakeholders. This is very welcome news for the games fraternity. Its less than two weeks. The two parties must agree. There is no two way about it.
Dann OWERRE
FIBA Africa
# posted by afrbk : 12:20
