Thursday, May 31st 2012…Leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom Limited has announced the cancellation of the launch of its eagerly anticipated Safaricom Sakata Ball Season 3 which was scheduled to take place on Thursday 31st May, 2012.

This follows a last minute move by the national football governing body, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to impose new requirements on the running of the event through a letter to event organizers dated 30th May 2012. In its letter to Safaricom, the FKF demanded to be paid 20% of the total sponsorship cost of the Sakata Ball tournament as administration fees half of which was to be paid prior to its launch, failing which it would disown the event.

Expressing disappointment over the turn of events, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore stated, “We have been holding discussions with FKF for the last four months and we have written commitments from them expressing their support for this event and our contribution to local football development generally including the possibility of sponsoring FKF leagues in future. It is therefore a painful decision for us to cancel the launch, but a necessary one in the context of the unreasonable demands that have been placed on us.”

The Safaricom Sakata Ball Challenge was first launched in 2010 as a boys’ only tournament. In 2011, the tournament incorporated girls’ teams becoming the only football youth tournament in the country to do so. During the same year, Safaricom Limited entered into a partnership with the UNICEF sponsored National Youth Talent Academy. Today, ex-Sakata players comprise 90% of the U 20 girls’ football team while others like Abdi Malik have played for both the U-20 team and Harambee Stars.

Drastic change must happen on how we run football in these country and since Harambee stars are disappointing,the government should disband the whole federation and risk FIFA ban.
Within that period we can develop a new constitution on how to run the game and within 4yrs we come back strong.
As long as the likes of Nyamweya still run the show,nothing will change and we will not even qualify for the AFCON.

Sam Nyamweya should never have gotten that position, he is a disgrace!!!!

This is where Kenyan soccer went wrong. The fellows who run football in Kenya have no interest at all in improving the welfare of the players. They would rather eat FIRST before any player gets anything. This is simply ABSURD. It is the reason that FKF signed a lopsided agreement with EABL for the Harambee stars. Harambee stars players can play themselves lame in the name of national duty, while their images sell Tusker but they get absolutely NOTHING in return (apart from a Kshs 3,000 allowance for each day they are on camp)

I am therefore not surprised that they are killing Sakata just because Safaricom will not let them eat!

safcom wants to penetrate all sectors while dictating terms..and ignoring established bodies
let safaricom concentrate on their core business. bring down the price of data first!