FKF end of season Gala returns after three-year hiatus

After a three-year hiatus, the FKF end-of-season gala is making a comeback. The Football Kenya Federation has announced that this Friday, the 26th of July, some of the best performers from the FKFPL 2023/24 season will be honored.

All is set for the gala, which will be held at Safari Park Hotel. Top-performing FKF Premier League and FKF Women’s Premier League players will walk away with cash prizes.

In the last edition held in 2021, Kariobangi Sharks striker Erick Kapaito bagged the top scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. Last year, FKF President Nick Mwendwa stated that the reason the federation stopped hosting the gala was due to a lack of funds to award the players.

“There’s no money and we won’t reward the league champions this season. We will not have any prize-giving, where is the money going to come from? This was just a rescue season.

“We might want to try and even have a gala, but we don’t have the statistics and a committee in place that should have been following players’ performance,” Mwendwa said at the time.

This year’s gala will mark the first time women players are awarded.

“This gala is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and sportsmanship displayed throughout the 2023-24 FKF league season. Your presence will add significant value to this prestigious event,” reads an invitation from FKF CEO Barry Otieno to club chairmen.

Gor Mahia bagged the FKF Premier League (FKF-PL) title, their record-extending 21st, while Kenya Police Bullets FC won the men’s title in their first season.

The FKF Gala aims to recognize and reward excellence across a variety of categories. The categories for this year’s awards include:

Player of the Year: Celebrating the most exceptional player whose performance, skill, and contributions towards his/her team have stood out throughout the season.
Golden Glove: Honoring the best goalkeeper in the league.
Golden Boot: Recognizing the top goal scorer whose knack for finding the back of the net has led their team to victory.
Coach of the Year: Awarding the coach whose leadership, strategy, and inspiration have driven their team to exceptional heights.
Referee of the Year: Celebrating the match official whose integrity, fairness, and decision-making have upheld the spirit of the game.
Fair Play Award: Acknowledging the team or individual that has shown exemplary sportsmanship, respect, and fair play on and off the field.
President’s Award: A special recognition for outstanding contributions to football, awarded at the discretion of the FKF president, Nick Mwendwa.
Social Media Manager of the Year: Highlighting the creativity and impact of the individual or team behind the most engaging and innovative social media presence in promoting their teams’ brand and football in the country.