Kapsimbiri Secondary School has been stripped of its football title after it was discovered that they had fielded ineligible players during the Bomet County Secondary School Games.
This decision has stirred controversy among the school’s community, leading to protests from parents and students.
The announcement came after an investigation by a team of officials, prompted by a complaint from Kaplong Boys, who lost 3-0 to Kapsimbiri in the county finals held at Bomet IAAF Stadium last week.
Kaplong alleged that their rivals used players who did not pass the eligibility test , putting them at a disadvantage.
The investigators upheld these claims, resulting in Kapsimbiri’s disqualification and a ban from future competitions.
In light of Kapsimbiri’s disqualification, Kaplong Boys will take their place in the upcoming Rift Valley Regional Championships, scheduled for July 16 in Bomet County.
This opportunity has reignited Kaplong’s aspirations of advancing to the national level, a goal they narrowly missed last year after a quarter-final loss in the regional competition at Nyahururu.
The decision to disqualify Kapsimbiri has not been well-received by the school’s community.
Students and parents staged a protest outside the office of County Director of Education, Leonard Ngugi, demanding a reversal of the decision.
The demonstrators, led by Emmanuel Rotich, paraded the players’ full details, arguing that the decision was biased and detrimental to the students’ morale and talent development.
“What happens to many talents who are out to showcase them to the entire Rift Valley during the regional games? The Ministry of Education has failed us, and we think this move is biased,” Rotich asserted.
He also threatened to disrupt the regional games, which are set to be hosted in Bomet County for the first time in 20 years.
Responding to the protests, Leonard Ngugi defended the decision, revealing that the school management had admitted to fielding ineligible players.
“We have a letter from the school and coach apologising for the mistake and requesting leniency from a three-year ban initially proposed. This was taken into account by the jury,” Ngugi explained.
Ngugi assured the aggrieved parties that the team that reviewed the case would reconsider the community’s request.
He emphasised the need for fair play and adherence to rules, underscoring that this was the second time Kapsimbiri has been penalised for such an infraction.
Last year, they were barred from progressing to the semi-finals after a similar incident against Kaplong.
With Kaplong Boys now representing Bomet County in the regional championships, they are hopeful of redeeming themselves and making a strong push towards the nationals.
