By KPC Sports Reporter
Nairobi City Thunder has raised concerns over what it describes as conflict of interest in officiating and persistent fixture scheduling problems in the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) league.
In a statement, the club said the issues threaten “the integrity and professional standing of the KBF league,” particularly following recent fixtures against Lakeside played on May 9 and 10.
The club alleged that the referee assigned to the matches was related to an official associated with the opposing team, a situation Thunder says created “an unacceptable conflict of interest.”
“The referee appointed for the fixtures played on 9–10 May 2026 is a cousin of an official associated with the Lakeside team, our opposing club,” the statement read.
The club added: “Regardless of intent, this familial relationship creates an unacceptable conflict of interest in the officiating of that fixture.”
Thunder further called on the federation to review its referee appointment procedures and introduce formal screening mechanisms to prevent officials with personal or family ties from handling matches involving affiliated clubs.
The statement also criticised the league’s fixture management, saying frequent delays and late communication were placing unnecessary pressure on clubs.
“Games are not running on time and confirmed fixtures are being altered without adequate warning,” the club stated.
According to Thunder, the scheduling instability affects logistics, sponsorship obligations, travel planning, player preparation, and operational budgets.
“In a professional club, every match requires advance planning — travel, player preparation, staff, and commercial commitments to sponsors and partners,” the statement added.
Among the recommendations presented to KBF, Thunder wants the federation to publish the full league schedule with at least four weeks’ notice, ensure all games start on time, and improve communication whenever unavoidable changes occur.
The club also requested a written acknowledgement of its concerns and an outline of the federation’s intended actions within 14 days.
“NCT remains committed to Kenyan basketball and to our obligations as a KBF participant. We are prepared to engage constructively with the Federation on all of the above,” the statement said.