Nairobi City Stars' Ezekiel Odera celebrates his goal against AFC Leopards during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at the Ruaraka grounds on August 3, 2021.
Early last year, Ezekiel Odera was contemplating playing one more season before shifting to coaching.
The striker had since 2010 played for seven different Kenyan clubs and felt he had nothing more to prove as a player.
But then came the bombshell on July 4. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) released a statement that Odera alongside his Nairobi City Stars’ teammate Salim Abdallah, had been “suspended pending investigations into their alleged involvement in match manipulation”.
Odera, then playing for Nairobi City Stars had a CAF “D” coaching licence and a clear plan. Now, more than a year later, the experienced player City Stars, KCB, Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Sofapaka, Thika United (defunct), and Ushuru FC (defunct) is still under suspension.
The FKF Integrity Department has yet to adjudicate on the matter and he has never been presented with evidence of his match-fixing allegations.
“It is like they (FKF) are playing a game of cat and mouse with us,” said a disappointed Odera.
“I have been to the FKF office several times but sadly, I have never been given any concrete feedback on the investigations,” the 36-year-old player said.
Dozens of coaches, and referees remain provisionally suspended over match fixing allegations.
During the FKF’s presidential debate in Nairobi on Monday night, ex-FKF CEO Barry Otieno, now aspiring for the top seat, confirmed the federation had 39 cases of persons provisionally suspended over match fixing.
“The biggest challenge with match-fixing in Kenya is that there are no national laws that allow for these individuals to be prosecuted. Sometimes you take them to court and they can only be charged with bribery,” said the former FKF CEO.
Notable players who have been provisionally suspended by the FKF over alleged match-fixing since January last year are Isaac Kipyegon (Tusker), Hamidu Kwizera Lucas (Zoo Kericho), Vincent Misikhu (Zoo), John Ligare (Zoo), Geoffrey Gichana (Zoo), Daniel Kiptoo (Zoo), Brian Lumumba (Zoo), Dennis Monda (Kericho Rovers), Dominic Ouma (Rovers) , Sammy Sindani (Silibwet Leons), Akiya Munyasa (Silibwet), William Odunga (Silibwet), Lennox Ogutu (Mathare United) and Alphonce Ndonye (Mathare).
Others are goalkeeper trainer Willis Ochieng’ (Zetech) and Congolese coach Du Monde Selenga (Kericho FC).
Odera says he is innocent and faults FKF for suspending him but failing to conclude their investigations.
He says that when the federation called him for a hearing on March 1, 2024, no evidence was presented against him.
“If they (FKF) have no case against us, why don’t they allow us to resume our lives in football? I planned to be a coach after hanging my boots but that is now not possible because they suspended us and directed football stakeholders not to engage us until our names are cleared.
“It is sad that the only thing I can now do in the football scene is to play recreational football with retired players,” he lamented.
His lawyer Peter Muriithi said that the case has stalled after a scheduled hearing on March 28 this year failed to take place.
Muriithi said that the federation has not responded to his letter of August 15, 2023 that sought to have the suspension lifted.
He now plans to file a judicial review against FKF at the High Court, seeking to have Odera’s suspension lifted until when the matter is heard and determined.
Another suspended player who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said FKF was not serious about solving the cases.
He said the suspension has made life difficult for him since he made his living from football.
“If they were serious, this matter would have been resolved a long time ago. They are just wasting us,” said the player
FKF interim CEO Patrick Korir admitted that it is a big injustice to the players to wait for a long time for the outcome of the investigations. He promised that they will be resolved soon.
“The suspension should not be open-ended. It is one of the things I want to attend to on a serious note. In the soonest time I will get to the bottom of the matter,” said Korir, who is also the City Stars’ CEO.
Korir said match-fixing was destroying Kenyan football and urged Parliament to fulfil its promise of enacting a law that criminalises the vice.
“Match-fixing is mostly talked about in football but it cuts across all sports. Due to the lack of a laws, you find that many of the suspended players just sit out there interacting with other players,” said Korir.
In February 2020, Fifa banned four players over match-fixing. Kenyans Moses Chikati, Festus Okiring and Festo Omukoto were banned for four years, while Ugandan George Mandela for life from all football related activities.
The four players were at the time playing for Kakamega Homeboyz.
