The winners of Extreme Super 8 league were finally awarded after nearly six years. The winners, who had to wait for eons to get their awards, got their prizes as the super 8 celebrated its 20 years anniversary, which coincidentally comes at a time when Football Kenya Football (FKF) is heading to the next elections.

Melta Kabiria won the last edition of the Super 8 league as Leads United scooped the division one category with the 1st runners up prize going to the now defunct Deportivo of Ongata Rongai.

However questions have arisen over the timing of the disbursement of the prizes which comes at a time when FKF gets to the electioneering period and Super 8 league founder Hussein Mohammed among the expected aspirants of the FKF presidential position. Additionally, the awards disbursed to the winning teams was less than half the initial amount that had been originally planned as cash prizes for the winners.

Top honors in the Super 8 premier league went to Melta Kabiria who were the Super 8 Premier league winners while Githurai All Stars were the  1st runners up and Technical University of Kenya (TUK) 2nd runners up respectively.

Super 8 Division one saw Leads United scoop the top honors as the winners of the league with the 1st runners up prize going to Deportivo of Ongata Rongai. Kisa All stars were the 2nd runners up.

The Extreme Super 8 tournament, which was founded by Hussein in the years 2003 has over the years remained a football tournament only brought to life when particular interests are at play and the timing of the prize giving has raised more questions than answers over the plight of the teams taking part in the tournament.

Hussein, during the start of the tournament promised the clubs of guidance on investments but the same has not worked as most of the teams keep disintegrating raising questions whether he genuinely had the clubs’ interests at heart or used the tournament for electoral purposes.

According to former Deportivo FC player Derrick Omondi, the team that played in the last Super 8 tournament disintegrated and the awarding of the team nearly six years after their win only serves to bring strife to the ex-players and the current team management.

Omondi faulted Hussein’s tendancy of establishing a tournament with the intent of winning elections and later abandoning it when political ambitions fail noting that te Extreme Sports CEO organized Super 8 before vying for the Kasarani MP seat and later the FKF presidency after which, following defeat, he shelved the tournament’s organization.

“This awarding, although is good, it will bring a lot of confusion to teams because the players who won then, will come for their prize money because other teams have since folded and even the players who were playing then have already moved on to other levels,” Omondi said.

Hussein awarded the past winners after a section of the media questioned why he intendedto revive the tournament without first awarding past winners who have been complaining over the years of lull. Hussein was taken to task to explain why he kept abandoning the tournament after losing at elections and when he will award who won the last tournanament almost six years ago since he now once again wants to run for FKF elections.

Stakeholders have as well faulted Hussein’s tendency of holding the tournament with the intention of vying for elections and deserting it upon loosing. Hussein, who is supported by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie and Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke, has been faulted for contributing to the folding up of teams in Nairobi over the desertion of tournaments which leads to teams breaking up noting that the recent intent to first award past winners and re introduce the tournament will lead to more teams which had found a footing, away from the lure of money in Super 8 might as well head to their end.

Mueke, Kiarie and EALA MP Hassan Omar Hassan are Hussein’s closest supporters which rings alarm bells over Hussein’s character. Mueke has no history of supporting sports from his time as the Nairobi deputy Governor when he showed no support for the former Governor Evans Kidero cup.

Kiarie and Hussein have a long history together which culminated to his acrimonious sacking from Sportpesa’s Pambazuka National Lottery among several other scandals raising eyebrows as to his intention to reignite his Super 8 tournament with clear intentions of running in the FKF elections.

According to people close to the football circles in Kenya, Hussein has been touted as a vengeful bitter man who operates with threats and utmost bitterness on anyone who opposes ar questions his moves.

Hussein hinted at the return of the league in 2024 with the incorporation of potential partners who have expressed willingness to support grassroots football which for many years has played part in impacting on communities by either directly or indirectly creating opportunities for people to earn a livelihood bringing to a close the speculations of his intent to revive the tournament as a conduit to his FKF electoral candidacy.