Andrea Ongwae, head coach of the National Super League (NSL) team Vihiga Bullets, has called upon the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to address the issue of incompetent match officials, which has been plaguing the second tier of Kenyan football.Ongwae’s remarks come in response to a growing number of complaints from various clubs regarding substandard officiating.Mathare United was particularly vocal about the issue during their recent league match against Dimba Patriots at Kasarani Annex, with Naivas echoing similar concerns in their clash with Mathare last week.##NAJAVA_MECA_8103880##Speaking after a match against Mombasa Elite at the Kenya Institute of Building and Highway Technology (KIBHT) grounds, during which he was shown a red card for protesting a potentially game-changing decision, Ongwae expressed frustration:”It was an obvious penalty; our player was fouled. However, the referee saw it differently. I was red-carded out of the blue. How long can we tolerate such biases in the league?”“FKF should be tough on the officials, follow these NSL matches closely, and take action because the coaches have lamented over time, but nothing concrete has come out of the federation,” he added.
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Ongwae urged the FKF to take decisive action against officials and closely monitor NSL matches.He emphasized the need for the federation to heed the concerns voiced by coaches and stakeholders, stating, “Despite repeated complaints, the FKF has remained silent. We continue to see the same referees appointed for our matches. The federation must intervene by reviewing match footage and taking appropriate action to foster the growth of the game.”He also called for honesty from fourth officials and match commissioners in their reports to help address the issue.AFC Leopards brace for tricky Police test as Shabana, FC Talanta face off in relegation dogfightMeanwhile, Ongwae attributed Vihiga Bullets’ recent success in the league to instilling a winning mentality in his players and maintaining discipline in training sessions.”As a coach, you must instill belief in your players and foster a winning mindset. Additionally, I’ve had to enforce discipline in training; some players had developed a habit of missing sessions,” explained the former Gusii FC coach.
