Troubled Nzoia Falcons suspended from women’s league

Trans Nzoia Falcons

Trans Nzoia Falcons players field questions from journalists at the Kitale Showground.

Photo credit: Osborn Manyengo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • During the meeting the players named two officials whom they claimed have been soliciting sex from them and resorts to intimidating and harassing them when they decline their advances.
  • However, club chairman Moses Ngeywa defended the officials saying they have been discharging their duties well despite the meager resources at their disposal.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has suspended Women's Premier League side Trans Nzoia Falcons for a month following claims of sexual exploiting and harassment.

FKF arrived at the decision Monday after holding a crisis meeting with players, members of the team’s technical bench and officials from Trans Nzoia County Government at Kitale Showground.

Monday’s meeting follows an incident on Saturday during which the team’s players were thrown out of their residential camp after a league match.

Videos of Falcons players being thrown out of their camp surfaced online after their 3-0 loss to defending champions on Saturday.

The team’s assistant secretary-general Noah Wakoli had blamed the players for disrespect claiming they had been hurling abuses at the officials and staged a go-slow against the technical bench.

After the meeting, Margaret Odhiambo who is FKF National Executive Committee member and FKF Women Representative said the team will not play league matches for the next four weeks.

The federation will appoint an interim committee to manage the team.

“We have talked to the players and we know the root cause of the problem. It has been decided that we suspend all their league matches for a month and form an interim committee to be in charge of the team,” said Odhiambo.

Falcons captain Martha Karani said some officials have been making sexual advances at the players and those in camp have been going without food. She said the players lacked money for buying personal items.

“We have been going through a lot just because we have talent. Some of us don’t have contracts and if you raise this issue then you go into the bad books of the officials. If you also refuse the sexual advances of the officials, then your goose is cooked,” said Karimi.

During the meeting the players named two officials whom they claimed have been soliciting sex from them and resorts to intimidating and harassing them when they decline their advances.

However, club chairman Moses Ngeywa defended the officials saying they have been discharging their duties well despite the meager resources at their disposal.

“I was the founder of this team in 2017 and the only financial assistance since then I have got is Sh40,000. Even the former governor Patrick Khaemba promised the team Sh1 million which he never honoured.

“On the sexual advances, that is not true at all. I’m ready to continue managing this team,” said Ngeywa.

Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya also held a meeting with the players at his office in Kitale town.