Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Francis Wadegu
4 August 2011
Kenyan Premier League side Mathare United have boycotted training due non-payment of salary arrears. The players unanimously agreed not to honour their training sessions on Tuesday until they are paid their salaries arrears dating back four months. The players failed to attend their training at the Goan Institute in Pangani yesterday and are expected to sit out of today’s session if the matter is not addressed immediately.
However, the players have made a commitment to KPL that they will honour their league fixture against Chemelil on Sunday as they await the outcome of the meeting between their representatives and the team’s management later on today. “I have been alerted of the problem and we are doing all our best to ensure the issue is sorted out amicably and in time,” said club chairman Bob Munro, who is currently in Oslo with MYSA youth teams for the Norway Cup.
The issues of payment wrangles is not new within the Mathare camp as last season Harambee Stars midfielder Titus Mulama quit the club demanding to be paid money owed to him. He was subsequently banned and fined for breach of contract some thing the current players are weary of. “We have persevered for long without pay yet we have families and responsibilities. It’s time the club also reciprocated and gave us our dues,” said a player at the club on condition of anonymity for fears of being victimised.
Mathare United currently enjoy sponsorships from Real Insurance and G4S totaling to Sh15 million per season. Meanwhile the KPL clash between Gor Mahia and Western Stima has been moved from Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega to Mumias Sports Complex after a KPL stadia safety and security committee found the Bukhungu stadium unfit to host the match.
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