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Veteran referee George Mwangi has exposed FKF's neglect of match officials, highlighting financial struggles, delayed payments, and lack of support.
Referee George Mwangi has spoken out against the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), accusing the governing body of neglecting referees and leaving them to endure financial hardships.
Mwangi, a long-serving match official, painted a bleak picture of life under FKF contrasting it with the professionalism and support referees enjoyed when the Kenya Premier League Limited (KPL Ltd) was in charge.
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In a candid interview with a local TV station, Mwangi revealed that FKF President Nick Mwendwa allegedly told referees to "look for other jobs," a comment that left many match officials feeling disregarded and disillusioned.
“I’ve been in football for many years. I started refereeing when Kenya Premier League Limited (KPL Ltd) was in charge, and football was in a good place back then. During that time, we had different sponsors. We received referee kits on time, and payments were prompt. Even though the payments weren’t much, they helped, and things were run professionally,” Mwangi stated on KTN News as quoted by Pepeta.com.
Mwangi explained that the situation began deteriorating when FKF took over from KPL Ltd, bringing with it a slew of financial uncertainties for match officials.
"KPL Ltd used to pay immediately after you sent in the match report, before the next game. But ever since they left, I’ve never received any referee kits again. Now I have to look for my kits. I pay for my transport, my food, and even my accommodation. Then I just wait for whatever they’ll send after the game," he added.
This shift in management, Mwangi noted, has left referees operating in a state of financial limbo. Payments, which were once reliable, have become erratic and delayed. Many referees wait for months without receiving any compensation, and when payments finally arrive, they are often partial.
“You can go for over 15 matches without getting paid, and even when you do, it’s never the full amount. They might pay you for five or ten matches and promise to settle the rest later, but that ‘later’ often never comes,” Mwangi shared in frustration, highlighting the growing financial strain many referees face.
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The current football season has only worsened the situation for match officials. Mwangi revealed that referees had been informed there was no money available to pay them, further deepening the crisis. Without any financial support or benefits, morale among referees has plummeted. Many now feel that their profession is undervalued and unsupported by the very organization meant to oversee the sport.
“Right now, in the current league, they’ve already told match officials they don’t have money, it’s like they’ve ‘never had money for that,’” Mwangi remarked.
He added, “There was even a time the FKF President told referees that being a referee isn’t work and that we should look for other jobs.”
The grim revelations from Mwangi underscore the precarious position referees in Kenya currently find themselves in. Once treated with respect and given the resources to do their jobs, they now grapple with constant uncertainty and financial hardship.
Mwangi’s candid admission raises important questions about the management of football in Kenya, particularly under the leadership of FKF.
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With referees at the heart of every match the lack of support for them could have serious consequences for the sport’s future in the country.
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