What it will take to curtail match-fixing in Kenya

The cancer of match-fixing continues to dog Kenya with stakeholders reeling in shock following the events of last week where match-fixers were caught on camera planning on how to compromise the Kenyan Premier League match between Nairobi City Stars and Sofapaka.

However, of major concern to stakeholders is the increase of such cases which show no sign of ending but seems to be burgeoning with each passing day.

In last week’s event, quick action by Nairobi City Stars officials, led by Patrick Korir, Football Kenya Federation the Kenya Police and Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) President James Situma saw the culprits arrested and charged.

They are out on bail.

Mathare United Chief Executive Officer Jackton Obure says that as much as the growth of the vice is shocking, it was “incubated during the reign of the FKF Caretaker Committee as players and officials involved knew there were no mechanisms to prosecute them”.

“I believe this match-fixing thing began in the reign of the caretaker committee because officials and players involved knew they couldn’t be prosecuted because at the time the government through the ministry of sports was running the game,” revealed Obure.

He went on, “What we are witnessing today, is the effects of a hard-hit industry that needs urgent intervention from both the federation and the government to salvage.

“You can imagine training a team with all the current economic problems we have only for a few players to sell the game for their own personal gains,” he lamented.

“It’s even more painful when you as the club owner tries all you can to have these players register wins so that you can woo potential sponsors and all that effort is derailed by a group of selfish players.”

Obure is of the view that for a lasting solution to be found, there is need for proper legislation to prosecute those found culpable other than handing the usual bans and suspensions.

“It’s time to criminalize this vice in our Kenyan law so that we can prosecute those suspected because if they are handed jail terms, it will act as a warning rather than the usual suspensions and bans,” continued Obure.

His views are backed by former Tusker and Harambee Stars striker Boniface Ambani who believes suspensions and bans are not enough maintaining it’s time for harsh penalties to be introduced through proper legal frameworks.

“When we start jailing those found guilty, that is when guys will take it seriously and refuse match fixing attempts. These usual bans and suspensions will not work, individuals involved in match-fixing have gotten used to them,” said Ambani.

Ambani points at how players have lost ambition and purpose in their quest to get rich quickly, killing the passion of the game in the process.

“Earlier on in our days we played for the scouts, we wanted them to spot and give us opportunities to play abroad but nowadays that is no more. Match-fixing has taken the taste of football as we knew it,” said Ambani.

Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir however believes that last week’s expose is the beginning to unravel more evils going on behind the curtains and is the way to go.

“We need to record, shame and legislate so that we can completely kill this vice,” said Korir.