FKF to award top performers during end of season gala

By Peter Ochieng

For the first time in three years, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) will on Friday, July 26, 2024 hold an end of the season gala.

Top performers during the ended 2023/2024 season will be awarded by the football governing body, during the event.

The gala was confirmed by FKF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Barry Otieno, in an invite to club chairmen. “This gala is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and sportsmanship displayed throughout the 2023/24 FKF league season. Your presence will add significant value to this prestigious event,” reads the invite in part.

Gor Mahia bagged a 21st record FKF Premier League title, while Kenya Police Bullets FC won the women’s title in their first season, in the topflight league. Police FC won the FKF Mozzart Bet Cup, Ulinzi Starlets successfully defended their title, claiming victory in the 2024 FKF Women’s Cup final against Kibera Soccer Ladies, to win the third title on the trot, while Mara Sugar clinched the National Super League (NSL) title.

Under the same breadth, Sofapaka retained Premier League status after beating Naivas FC 2-0 in the two-legged FKF playoffs.

The last gala, for the FKF Premier League, was held in 2021, when then-Kariobangi Sharks striker Erick Kapaito bagged the top scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.

In 2023, FKF President Nick Mwendwa said that there was no money to either reward top performers or the league winners. “There’s no money and we won’t reward the league champions this season. We will not have any prize-giving, where is the money going to come from? This was just a rescue season,” he said.

“We might want to try and even have a gala, but we don’t have the statistics and a committee in place that should have been following players’ performance,” added Mwendwa.