Referee Mwangi: Mwendwa told us to look for other jobs

Referee George Mwangi has accused the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Nick Mwendwa of neglecting them.

In an interview with a local TV station, the long-serving match official revealed that Mwendwa allegedly told referees to “look for other jobs,” signalling a disregard for the profession and further deepening the frustrations of match officials.

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“I’ve been in football for many years. I started refereeing when Kenya Premier League Limited (KPL Ltd) was in charge, and football was in a good place back then. During that time, we had different sponsors. We received referee kits on time, and payments were prompt. Even though the payments weren’t much, they helped, and things were run professionally,” Mwangi said.

“KPL Ltd used to pay immediately after you sent in the match report, before the next game. But ever since they left, I’ve never received any referee kits again. Now I have to look for my kits. I pay for my transport, my food, and even my accommodation. Then I just wait for whatever they’ll send after the game.”

This shift in management from KPL Ltd to FKF has brought about numerous problems for referees, many of whom now operate in financial uncertainty. The payments have become erratic, often delayed for months, and referees are paid only partially when they do arrive.

“You can go for over 15 matches without getting paid, and even when you do, it’s never the full amount. They might pay you for five or ten matches and promise to settle the rest later, but that ‘later’ often never comes,” Mwangi expressed in frustration.

The situation is even more dire in the ongoing football season, where referees have already been informed that there is no money to pay them. This lack of financial support, along with the absence of any proper benefits or provisions for match officials, has severely impacted their morale.

“Right now, in the current league, they’ve already told match officials they don’t have money, it’s like they’ve ‘never had money for that, “Mwangi said. “There was even a time the FKF President told referees that ‘’being a referee isn’t work and that we should look for other jobs.”

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