Former ICT Cabinet Secretary and presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo has raised concerns over the continued disruption of Kenya’s Premier League, warning that a stalled domestic competition could affect player development, talent identification and Harambee Stars’ preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Owalo said Kenya’s preparations for the continental tournament should go beyond stadium construction and other infrastructure to include maintaining a competitive domestic football environment.
“AFCON 2027: Kenya Cannot Afford a Stalled League. With Kenya preparing to co-host AFCON 2027, disruption to the domestic league raises serious concerns about player development, talent identification and Harambee Stars’ preparations,” Owalo said in a statement posted on his X account on Thursday.
“Stadiums and other infrastructure matter, but so does what happens on the pitch. Kenyan football needs a functioning, competitive league capable of developing players and strengthening the national team ahead of Africa’s biggest football tournament,” he added.
The intervention comes as the 2026/27 FKF Premier League remains suspended after a series of disputes and court orders affecting the start and composition of the competition.
The new season was initially scheduled to begin on August 22, according to Football Kenya Federation's published calendar. The federation later postponed the opening round scheduled for August 31 to September 2, saying it needed further consultations with participating clubs and league sponsors.
After further consultations, FKF and club representatives agreed on September 19, as the new start date. However, the planned restart was again halted after fresh court orders concerning the composition of the 18-team league and promotion and relegation arrangements.
The legal dispute has involved Kariobangi Sharks, which challenged aspects of the promotion and relegation framework. A separate case also resulted in an order requiring FKF to consider Mombasa United as the 18th club and conduct a promotion-relegation play-off involving the two teams. FKF subsequently said the conflicting court orders left it with no option but to postpone the league.
The dispute is rooted partly in changes to the rules governing promotion and relegation.
Reports indicate that the 2019 regulations provided for a play-off involving the third-bottom Premier League side and the third-placed National Super League team, while the 2025 rules changed the promotion and relegation structure.
The disagreement over which framework should apply has subsequently contributed to the legal uncertainty surrounding the new season.
The delays have come at a significant time for Kenyan football. AFCON 2027 will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027, with 24 teams expected to compete.
It will be the first edition of the tournament to be jointly hosted by three countries and the first AFCON in East Africa since Ethiopia staged the competition in 1976.
Kenya’s preparations are already under scrutiny.
A Confederation of African Football inspection team visited key facilities in September, including Nairobi’s newly constructed 60,000-capacity Talanta Stadium, training venues, hotels and airport facilities.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has also called for greater urgency from the three host countries, saying stadiums need to be ready for testing from January 2027.
The tournament is expected to attract more than 1.5 million fans across the three host countries, according to CAF, while its global television audience has been estimated at more than 3.2 billion.
For Kenya, the domestic league provides one of the main platforms through which locally based players can gain regular competitive football and come under consideration for national-team selection.
Owalo's argument is therefore that infrastructure preparations should be matched by consistent competitive activity on the pitch.
The immediate dispute remains subject to ongoing legal and administrative processes, with FKF seeking consultations with Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United as efforts continue to resolve the stalemate.