The Kasarani Football Association (KFA) has threatened to hold demonstrations if their Member of Parliament and also Sport Pesa CEO Ronald Karauri does not pay for their teams affiliation fees to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to enable them to participate in their respective leagues.
Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, The KFA Coodinator Erick Odhiambo said that MP Karauri has gone against his campaign promises and is being influenced by political forces to neglect the youth who depend on football activities to keep them away from poverty, crime and drugs.
“The executive committee members are misleading the MP to refuse to pay the fees to the FKF Nairobi East branch causing the youth to remain idle. Our young people participate in local football that provides a source of livelihood for them and their families. MP Karauri has no idea of what is going on at grassroots levels and the executive members are blocking the youth progress for selfish and political purposes. Former Members of Parliament for this constituency have been paying the fees for us but Hon. Karauri is being misadvised to ignore our local football teams. He does not have an idea of what happens on the ground,” he said.
Also speaking at the same meeting, KFA Coodinator for Kasarani Njiru Ward Alex Maloba said that there are currently twenty eight teams in his area that have been locked out of various matches because of lack of affiliation fees.
“We know that their is a budget set aside for football activities within our constituency and we demand that the MP should sort out this issue. If he does not assist us then we will be forced to go for demonstrations so that our voice will be heard. The Executive members do not know how our football activities are planned and organized and they have left us out of the decision making process,” he said.
Phonecalls to Honourable Ronald Karauri went unanswered when we tried to reach him for comment on the matter by the time of going to press.
