Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has taken disciplinary action against match officials following poor officiating in a Kenya Premier League match between Kakamega Homeboyz and Murang’a Seal.
In a statement, FKF announced that second assistant referee Jackson Opiayo has been demoted to the National Super League (NSL) for three matches. The federation said Opiayo made an incorrect offside call after taking a poor position on the field, which denied the attacking team a clear scoring opportunity.
“Jackson Opiayo has been removed from SportPesa League match appointments for three (3) rounds and reassigned to the National Super League,” the statement reads.
FKF said his performance during the NSL assignments will be closely assessed, and a detailed report will be required before he can return to officiating top-tier league matches.
The center referee for the match, David Serem, was issued with an official warning after awarding a corner kick that FKF said was not justified. The federation noted that video footage did not support the decision and added that Serem’s explanation during the review was unsatisfactory.
First assistant referee Gladys Kamuren was also criticized for failing to perform her duties effectively. FKF said she was best placed to determine whether the ball had gone out of play but did not communicate or signal clearly, leading to the wrong final decision.
The match, played on November 9 at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega, ended in a 1-1 draw.
FKF’s action comes amid growing concern from coaches and stakeholders over the declining standards of officiating in the Kenya Premier League. Several coaches have publicly complained about questionable refereeing decisions this season.
Most recently, Bidco United coach Anthony “Vieira” Akhulia criticized the officiating during his team’s match against Shabana at Gusii Stadium on Sunday.
“The officiating was very poor. The referee needs to explain why he awarded a penalty to our opponents. This is something we have noticed with him in matches involving Bidco,” Akhulia said.
Bidco United lost the match 1-0 and now sit 12th on the league table with 12 points.
FKF said it will continue monitoring match officials to ensure better standards and fairness in the league.
