Court extends injunction against Kenyan Premier League

A court here has extended till March 13 an injunction against the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) from conducting its top flight competition till a civil suit filed by the rival Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is determined.

Once again, drama was witnessed at the compound of Nairobi's Milimani High Court when a section of over 100 fans that turned up for Thursday's hearing heckled KPL's CEO Jack Oguda. They accused the league management company of scuttling club football in the country by opposing the FKF, reports Xinhua.

In what was a seemingly well orchestrated move, FKF vice-president, Robert Asembo, who was forced to run for his life from the same court on Tuesday, arrived with a gang of youth in tow for the hearing before civil court judge, Lady Justice Amburili. Justice Amburili told the parties she will rule on the injunction order and contempt of court charges against KPL next Friday.

She further announced she would issue a ruling on the prayers of two suspended officials, former FKF vice-president Sammy Shollei and FKF Nairobi Delegate Dan Shikanda to be enjoined in the suit on Friday.

Justice Amburili further directed FKF and KPL to submit their written applications to the court on Monday. She regretted her call on Tuesday to give both warring parties 48 hours to arrive at a resolution of their impasse had failed to defuse the standoff outside the corridors of justice.

Court chamber 208 was a beehive of activity as fans, top officials of FKF and KPL and their lawyers argued their case in a suit that was filed by the federation on February 26. They sought to stop their adversaries from conducting their parallel top flight.

KPL who went ahead to hold the first round of their competition on the weekend of February 27 and 28 before announcing the suspension of the league, filed a responding suit with Judge Amburili listening to both sides for the first time on Tuesday.

Thursday's development means the KPL competition that has 14 teams and a broadcast sponsor in South Africa's SuperSport will not run for a second successive week, putting the fate of about 750 players and officials in limbo.