Shimanyula welcomes SDT orders, calls for Mwendwa to stop embarrassing FKF

Kakamega homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has welcomed the stay orders given by the Sports Disputes Tribunal suspending the “illegal” decision by the Football Kenya Federation to end the Kenyan Premier League and declare Gor Mahia the champions.



Speaking to Kurunzi, Shimanyula paid tribute to Chemelil FC and the KPL for moving the tribunal over the matter, confirming they will apply to be enjoined as directed by SDT chairman John Ohaga.



“We are waiting to be served and we shall immediately put in our application as interested parties,” Shimanyula said.



“This man Mwendwa is not in office and he has no moral or legal authority to make any decisions. We are ready to take him head on over this and other decisions he has made since his term expired.”



“Puppet of a confused individual”



Shimanyula also stuck a high boot on the face of FKF Chief Executive Officer Barry Otieno, who he accused of being a “puppet of a confused individual who is the worst mistake to come into the leadership of our football”.



PHOTO/COURTESY



“He behaves as though he does not have a mind of his own and has brought shame to the office of a CEO of the federation. A lot of the mistakes they have made would not have happened if he (Otieno) knew what is supposed to be done.



“He should have been advising as a technocrat but he does not have that capacity to understand anything right about football in this country. One wonders where he was fished from.”



Shimanyula, a strong critic of Mwendwa’s administration, said he apologizes to the football fraternity that brought Mwendwa although he did not vote for him in the last elections but “I regret having been a part of the electoral congress that elected Mwendwa”.



“By virtue of collective responsibility I feel it is right to apologize to the country but I am ready to send him into the oblivion of football leadership in Kenya.



“I am willing to offer my lorry to transport Mwendwa and Otieno to where they came from because they do not deserve to be anywhere close to football federation leadership.”



Refuse to be hoodwinked



Kenya Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz owner Cleophas Shimanyula wants Nick Mwendwa barred from contesting any football position in future. PHOTO/COURTESY



He maintained his club were ready to challenge for the title and will take the fight down the wire if and when the situation of coronavirus allows the league to resume.



He lauds Gor Mahia for refusing to be hoodwinked into early celebrations against the principle of sporting merit.



“I thank Gor Mahia for how they have refused to be part of an illegal coronation. Their fans are some of the most passionate around but they also want to celebrate when they have won everything on the football pitch.



“It is good that they agree with the rest of us that there was no hurry in declaring the season over when CAF did not ask for that. If Mwendwa thought we are fools who will coil ourselves then now he knows that we are not pushovers.”



He further questioned how the league would be impossible to play yet the cup competition would not suffer the same fate.



On Tuesday, SDT boss John Ohaga ordered that the decision by Mwendwa, tweeted on his social media account before a letter by Otieno followed on 30 April is null and void pending the hearing and determination of a petition filed by Chemelil FC and KPL.



The matter will be heard on 26 May but the applicants have been directed to serve the respondents (Mwendwa, Otieno and FKF) as well as all the KPL teams.



The respondents and the clubs wishing to be enjoined as interested parties have seven days after being served to file their applications and submissions ahead of the hearing.



Meanwhile, Mwendwa is facing contempt of the tribunal charges following the ruling of 17 March which declared that his term in office had ended. Ohaga’s panel is due to rule on the matter on 21 May, which ruling is expected to give directions on the way forward for FKF elections which are in limbo after being nullified by the SDT twice.