Four players, whose contracts were Thursday terminated by Western Stima FC in austerity measures, are now contemplating legal action against the Kenyan Premier League club, claiming they were unfairly dismissed.
The four — veteran defender David Ojwang’, Kevin Ochieng’, Augustine Kuta and Luke Ochieng’ — have been on the injury list and claim they are being “sacrificed” by club officials
But Western Stima FC chairman Laban Jobita said the players had been dismissed after the team exhausted its budget for this season. The team is backed by the Kenya Power and Lighting Plc.
Jobita also clarified that the company has not withdrawn its sponsorship, dismissing reports that all player contracts had been terminated.
Earlier, reports indicated that the Kenya Power and Lighting Plc’s budget for the club this season was Sh30 million, of which Sh19 million has been used, with the remaining Sh11 million not able to sustain the side for the remainder of the season.
“Our sponsors gave us a budget which we have surpassed, and the only remedy was to get rid of some players that are surplus to our requirements,” Jobita told Nation Sport.
“It was painful decision to take but we don’t have any other option because I have to take measures to sustain the club till the end of season,” he added.
A statement from the Kenya Power and Lighting Plc also rebuffed the claims of sponsorship withdrawal. “It is not true because Kenya Power has no contracts with the clubs. We are the sponsor for the teams and provide budgets for them to operate within. Contracts are signed between the clubs and players and we have no control over that,’’ the statement reads.
Speaking to Nation Sport, Ojwang lamented they were unfairly axed yet they suffered injuries while playing for the club and have been servicing the cost of treatment from their own salaries.
“Why couldn’t they release us during the January transfer window when we could get new clubs? The club has never paid for our treatment and ceased to pay match-wining bonuses as a way of reducing costs of operations. I got injured in our match against Sony Sugar and the chairman told me take care of my expenses,” he said.
He further took issue with Jobita for forcing them to append their signatures to prove that they had received their termination letters but they declined.
