Africa-Press – Kenya. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has demoted three referees from the SportPesa Premier League following a performance review prompted by controversial incidents in recent top-flight matches.
In a statement issued Tuesday, FKF said its National Referees Committee concluded the review during a virtual meeting of the FKF Instructors Technical Group held on February 3, 2026.
“FKF, through its National Referees Committee, has concluded a performance review of selected match officials following recent SportPesa League fixtures,” the federation said.
According to FKF, the session involved a detailed analysis of match footage, officials’ reports and explanations submitted by the referees concerned. The exercise, it added, was conducted “in line with FKF’s commitment to maintaining high standards of officiating and upholding the integrity of the game.”
Among the fixtures reviewed were Match No. 155 between KCB FC and Tusker FC, and Match No. 168 between Shabana FC and Bandari FC. Following deliberations, referee Susan Nyambura, assistant referee Jane Cherono and referee Emmanuel Ochieng were found to have made decisions considered as match-influencing and below the expected top-tier standard.
“The officials were found to have made decisions that were deemed to be match influencing and below the expected standards at the top-tier level,” FKF stated.
As a corrective and developmental measure, the trio has been reassigned to officiate National Super League matches for the next five rounds.
“During this period, they will be closely monitored by match commissioners and instructors, with performance evaluation reports submitted to the Technical Committee to guide decisions on their future Premier League appointments,” FKF added.
The Committee also assessed the performances of FIFA referee Kelvin Maina, Evans Kirimi and Lucy Juma. While their decisions were not judged to have directly altered match outcomes, shortcomings were noted.
“While their decisions did not directly affect the outcomes of their respective matches, instances of indecisiveness, lack of authority, and lapses in concentration were noted,” FKF said.
Consequently, the three officials have been issued with formal verbal warnings. The federation stated that their future assignments will be closely monitored through assessors’ and match commissioners’ reports, with an expectation of improved decision-making, game control and application of the Laws of the Game.
In a related development, FKF confirmed the reinstatement of Jackson Opiayo to the SportPesa Premier League after a period of monitoring in the National Super League.
“Assessment reports indicated significant improvement in his positioning, decision making, and overall officiating standards,” FKF said. “As a result, he has been reinstated to officiate SportPesa League matches with immediate effect, subject to continued performance monitoring.”
The latest decisions come as the league enters a decisive phase, with FKF reiterating its commitment to accountability, consistency and professionalism in officiating across all tiers of Kenyan football.
