The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has taken a decisive step in underlining its commitment to improving refereeing standards following a comprehensive review of officiating standards in recent SportPesa League fixtures.
Through its National Referees Committee, FKF concluded a detailed performance assessment during a virtual meeting of the FKF Instructors Technical Group held on February 3, 2026.
The review focused on selected matches from the SportPesa League and involved an in-depth examination of match footage, official reports submitted after games and explanations provided by the referees concerned.
According to FKF, the exercise was part of ongoing efforts to uphold the integrity of the game and ensure that match officials operating at the highest level meet the expected standards of decision-making, authority, and application of the Laws of the Game.
3 referees demoted as FKF cracks down on poor officiating in SportPesa League
Following the review, three match officials were found to have fallen below the required threshold. Referee Susan Nyambura, who officiated KCB FC vs Tusker FC, assistant referee Jane Cherono, and referee Emmanuel Ochieng, who was in charge of Match No. 168 involving Shabana FC and Bandari FC, were all cited for decisions considered to be match-influencing.
The Committee concluded that the errors made in those fixtures did not align with the standards expected at Premier League level.
As a corrective and developmental step, FKF has demoted the three officials to handle National Super League matches for the next five rounds.
“During this period, they will be under close supervision by match commissioners and referees’ instructors, with detailed evaluation reports to be forwarded to the FKF Technical Committee. These reports will play a key role in determining whether the officials will be reinstated to SportPesa League assignments in the future,” FKF said.
The Committee also reviewed the performances of several other officials, including FIFA referee Kelvin Maina, who handled the Kakamega Homeboyz FC versus Mara Sugar FC match, Evans Kirimi who officiated the Ulinzi Stars FC versus Murang’a Seal FC encounter, and Lucy Juma who took charge of the APS Bomet FC versus Shabana FC fixture.
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While their decisions were not deemed to have directly altered match outcomes, the review highlighted concerns such as indecisiveness, lapses in concentration and a lack of authority in certain situations.
As a result, the trio received formal verbal warnings, with FKF indicating that their future appointments will be closely monitored through assessors’ and commissioners’ reports. The federation expects noticeable improvement in game management, confidence, and consistency in decision-making.
In a positive development, the Committee also assessed the progress of Jackson Opiayo, who had previously been demoted.
After a period of close monitoring in the National Super League, assessment reports showed marked improvement in his positioning, judgment and overall officiating performance.
Consequently, FKF has reinstated Opiayo to officiate SportPesa League matches with immediate effect, subject to continued evaluation.
The latest decisions send a clear message that accountability remains central to FKF’s refereeing structures, as the federation seeks to raise officiating standards across Kenyan football.
