The highly anticipated takeover deal of Football Kenya Federation Division One Zone B side Muhoroni Young by Kericho Rovers has collapsed after the two sides failed to agree and are instead headed for legal battle.
Rovers, a club plying its trade in FKF Division Two Central Zone where they finished fourth in the just concluded 2022-2023 campaign, had got into an agreement to buyout Muhoroni’s slot in the third tier for the upcoming 2023-2024 season and shift base to Kericho Green Stadium.
As per the seller-buyer agreement document seen by Mozzart Sport, a deal was signed between Muhoroni Young owner Moses Adagala and Kericho Rovers Chairman Ogallo James Olweny on 11 July 2023 in presence of Obondo Koko & Co. Advocates upon payment of KES 320,000 Adagala’s account.
The takeover swiftly changed the club’s fortunes, from strugglers to an abled team after shifting to Kericho for the last three league games of the ended season after the new owners pumped in resources in readiness for the upcoming season. Little did he know the ordeal awaiting him.
Despite running the team for three match days, Ogallo had not been issued with full certification of the club as they awaited the conclusion of the previous league campaign to initiate a name change with the Football Kenya Federation.
Things went sour after they cross-checked with the FKF Leagues and Competitions committee the authenticity of the agreement and signatures appended to them only to discover that Adagala who was Muhoroni Young’s rightful owner and therefore could not carry out any business on behalf of the Got Alila based club.
We have since established that both Muhoroni Young and Muhoroni Youth are all registered under Collince Dave, who acts as the CEO of both clubs and he is the only one authorized to initiate the club buy-out.
Efforts by Olweny to reach an agreement and have Dave sign the documents were met with resistance and unfulfilled promises from the Got Alila tycoons and has since resolved to seek justice in the court corridors.
A disheartened Olweny has since reported the matter to Koru Police Station and Muhoroni Police Station as they seek to have control of the club and start preparation for life in the third tier.
The Kericho-based team is set to admit a case at Kericho High Court on Thursday over the dubious takeover as they seek to have Dave and Adagala apprehended to officiate club sale out.
Muhoroni Young was formed in 2022 as a sister club to Muhoroni Youth who had by then taken over Western Stima’s slot in the National Super League leaving a vacuum in Division One.
Young managed an eleventh-position finish in the just-concluded season getting six wins throughout the campaign.
