James Magayi @magayijim
A serious management oversight by Western Stima in December last set in motion a protracted legal battle with Tusker FC over three crucial points and the ownership of Kevin Okoth Wayodi.
Stima fielded Okoth against Tusker in their second league match after gaining promotion back to the top tier and the player starred massively for Paul Ogai’s side.
He scored the priceless goal that sunk Tusker prompting the brewers to immediately lodge a protest.
Tusker claimed Okoth’s ownership and demanded three points as Stima erred in fielding the player against his parent club, a breach of loan signing.
Stima insisted that Okoth was their player as Tusker had not rightfully signed him and failed to pay the agreed signing fee.
After two months of acrimony between the clubs, Stima lost both battles as Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Player Status Committee ruled that Okoth was erroneously fielded against his parent club. The ruling was delivered mid February, dealing a devastating blow to the promoted side’s impetus. They have not won in seven consecutive league matches since that ruling was made.
It is against such backdrop that today’s fixture in Machakos is set. Stima would be on top of Tusker in the league standings had they retained the three points from their first leg meeting.
The bitterness is palpable at Stima whenever this issue comes up. “It will be a battle just like any other but I must admit that beating them again will really make me happy. We have prepared well and are happy to have won our previous fixture in the Shield.
Hopefully, we’ll build from that and get back to winning ways in the league,” Ogai said. Tusker coach Robert Matano has come under fire over recent results that have seen the brewers lose five times in the last seven matches.
