Kenyan football is in turmoil following the provisional suspension of Harambee Stars goalkeeper Patrick Matasi over serious allegations of match-fixing. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced the decision to suspend the 37-year-old goalkeeper for 90 days as investigations continue, sparking widespread calls for action to eradicate the vice from the local game.
Patrick Matasi Suspended Over Match-Fixing Allegations
The FKF’s decision to suspend Patrick Matasi stems from a leaked video purportedly showing him negotiating a deal to manipulate a match. The secretly recorded footage, allegedly filmed from the left back of a seat by an unidentified individual, captured Matasi nodding his head as he seemingly agrees to terms laid out by another person discussing match manipulation.
The unknown individual in the video is heard stating, “This is the deal, and you know, me, I have never let you down.” Matasi is seen nodding in acknowledgment. As the conversation continues, the unidentified person says, “Whatever that will be given to me, I will forward it to you.” Matasi replies, “Okay,” further raising concerns about his involvement.
The conversation continues with the person explaining, “Immediately I forward it to you, I will give you a phone call and the boss will confirm that you have received the message. Then, this is what we want, that first half to end in a draw. Hope that is a deal.” The clip ends abruptly, but its impact has been far-reaching.
Goalkeeper Patrick Matasi match-fixing allegations spark after a secretly recorded video was leaked allegedly showing him negotiating a deal to manipulate the outcome of a game pic.twitter.com/vdqgE40OZJ
— KENYA GOSSIP HUB (@kenyasgossips) March 27, 2025
FKF’s Swift Response to the Match-Fixing Scandal
Following the release of the video, FKF released a statement confirming Matasi’s provisional suspension from all FKF-sanctioned events for 90 days, citing Section VII (2) of the FKF Anti-Match Manipulation Regulations (2016). FKF also confirmed that it had informed Matasi’s current club, Kakamega Homeboyz, of the suspension.
“The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has provisionally suspended goalkeeper Patrick Matasi from all FKF-sanctioned events and competitions for 90 days, following concerns raised by circulating videos suggesting possible match manipulation,” read part of the FKF statement.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has provisionally suspended goalkeeper Patrick Matasi from all FKF-sanctioned events and competitions for 90 days, following concerns raised by circulating videos suggesting possible match manipulation.
Read more: https://t.co/qAy3IkAneR pic.twitter.com/7du8G0SC67
— Football Kenya Federation (@Football_Kenya) March 27, 2025
The federation added that it had initiated investigations in collaboration with FIFA, CAF, and other relevant authorities to ascertain the truth. “The Federation remains committed to upholding integrity in football and ensuring a fair and transparent process for all involved parties. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.”
Outrage and Calls for Stringent Measures
The incident has prompted a strong response from former Kenya internationals and stakeholders in the local football scene. Many are urging FKF and the government to take decisive action against the match-fixing menace that has plagued Kenyan football for years.
Former Nairobi City Stars coach Nicholas Muyoti expressed concern about the impact of match-fixing on young, upcoming players. “I know it is deeply rooted, but something can be done before it gets to our young upcoming players,” Muyoti said.
He added, “FKF, please, do whatever you can to make sure that match-fixing doesn’t continue killing our beautiful game. Match-fixing has become too rampant in Kenya. The unfortunate part is that it involves all stakeholders of the game.”
Muyoti emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of the sport, stating, “We are losing some of our best players, coaches, and administrators to this vice. The value of the game will never be the same. For instance, I cannot go into a match knowing the result, unless I have a different agenda. Let us all say a big no to match-fixing.”
Government Intervention Urged
Former Harambee Stars striker Boniface Ambani called on the Kenyan government to enact legislation to combat match-fixing effectively. He urged parliament to create stringent laws that could put an end to the vice.
“When you take to the pitch, your brothers and sisters, your fans, your teammates, your coaches, your club officials, with their eyes all fixed for a win, and you end up fixing that match, losing it, what do you feel?” Ambani questioned.
He added, “I think it is high time our parliament should look into enacting a tough law that will help deal with this issue once and for all. People should be jailed. The perpetrators and their accomplices should be punished. We shouldn’t spare anybody. Be it club officials, coaches, players, etc.”
Ambani further lamented the negative impact of match-fixing on the quality of local football. “This thing is clearly killing our beloved soccer. I talked recently about how our goalkeepers have been conceding very cheap and silly goals. The clip doing rounds, one of our top keepers, in a match-compromising position, has actually compounded my fears.”
Kakamega Homeboyz Stand by Matasi
Despite the severity of the allegations, Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula insisted that the club would not take action against Matasi until proven guilty.
“Let it be very clear, I don’t entertain match-fixing in my team. I am one person who has fought the vice in the team for many years now. I am on record as having fired players because of match-fixing, but we don’t want to move to take action against Matasi until what is being said against him is proved to everyone,” Shimanyula said.
He added, “What I have managed to see is just a video with Matasi’s face, just going around on social media. We don’t know, or cannot ascertain the motive behind the video. We need to get to the root of the video and the content in it before, as a club, we can take action.”
Shimanyula also acknowledged Matasi’s contributions to the team since joining Kakamega Homeboyz during the recent transfer window. “Matasi just joined us a month ago, he has played three matches and kept clean sheets in all of them. He also saved two penalties during our domestic cup fixture,” Shimanyula noted.
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