Sofapaka and other Kenyan sports entities whose assets were embarrassingly auctioned

Sofapaka and other Kenyan sports entities whose assets were embarrassingly auctioned

Joel Omotto 07:30 - 23.05.2024

Sofapaka became the latest entity to have their assets auctioned when the team bus was sold on Tuesday, but who else in Kenyan sports has suffered the embarrassing fate?

FKF Premier League side Sofapaka became the latest Kenyan sports entity to suffer the embarrassment of having their assets auctioned.

The relegation threatened club had their team bus auctioned on Wednesday morning after former players Collins Wakhungu and Paul Kiongera petitioned the commercial court to put in under the auctioneer’s hammer in a bid to recover salary arrears they are owed by the 2009 Kenyan champions.

The bus auction, conducted by Bank Repossessed, Grounded & Auctioneers Sar Sales Nairobi, had a price tag of Ksh1 million and the process was completed swiftly on Wednesday.

Sofapaka team bus that was auctioned on Tuesday May 22, 2024.

While Spfapaka have vowed to replace the auctioned bus, they not only suffered huge losses that will see them incur extra costs to move around their players, but also became a subject of embarrassment.

Gor Mahia

However, Batoto ba Mungu are not alone when it comes to losing key assets to auctioneers in Kenyan sports.

Record Kenyan champions Gor Mahia also had their team bus auctioned by former player Wellington Ochieng to recover salary arrears owed to him by K’Ogalo in March 2023.

Ochieng went to the Sports Disputes Tribunal over his pending dues and got a favourable ruling which granted him permission to auction the bus and he duly did it to recover his dues.

Sofapaka team bus that was auctioned on Tuesday May 22, 2024.
Gor Mahia team bus that was auctioned by former player Wellington Ochieng in March 2023.

The player sued the club, claiming unpaid salaries and singing-on fee in excess of ksh1 million, after Gor Mahia reportedly failed to honour the agreement.

It was one of a series of embarrassing incidents involving Gor Mahia in 2023 but the club was offered a major relief in November last year when ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owala bought a new team bus for them.

The new bus was registered under the Eliud Owalo Foundation, a move club chairman Ambrose Rachier said was aimed at protecting K’Ogalo from another such incident in the future.

Kenya Rugby Union

On October 31, 2019, Kenyans were treated to shocking scenes when auctioneers raided Kenyan Rugby Union (KRU) offices on Ngong Road, Nairobi and left with office equipment, a trophy and other valuables.

Auctioneers carry away office equipment at the Kenya Rugby Union offices in October 2019.

The incident happened after a tours and travel agency that had booked and processed air tickets for the Kenya Simbas (Kenya 15s) test match against Spain in 2015 sought to recover a Ksh4 million debt owed to them by KRU.

The firm went to court in 2016 and were granted orders to auction KRU. The union would reportedly pay up Ksh1 million but with the balance not forthcoming, the agency swung into action.

Photos of men, who were hired by the auctioneers, carrying away KRU assets went viral on social media, the incident happening at a time the union was experiencing financial difficulties.

Follow us on X (Twitter) for more updates.

Tags: