When Ministry of Education officials told school heads in Kakamega to stop suing the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA), they weren’t just issuing a policy reminder — they were drawing a line in the sand. On July 29, 2025, Dr. Abdi Elyas, Director General of Basic Education under the Ministry of Education, stood at the podium of the Mumias Sports Complex and declared that legal battles over sports disqualifications were a ‘reckless waste of valuable public resources.’ The message was clear: if you’re disqualified from a tournament, use the internal appeals process — not the courts.
The respondents — KSSSA and an unnamed second party — didn’t deny the irregularity. In court filings, they admitted the player’s documents were questionable. But they insisted the rules are clear: no loopholes, no exceptions. The team’s disqualification, they argued, wasn’t punitive — it was preventive. After all, this isn’t the first time KSSSA has caught schools trying to sneak in older athletes. Locals call them ‘mamluki’ — a Swahili term for hired players, often overage, brought in to win trophies. And the Ministry? They’ve had enough.
But here’s what’s rarely said out loud: the Ministry isn’t just trying to save money. It’s trying to save credibility. Kenya’s education system has been battered by scandals — ghost schools, fake enrollment, phantom teachers. In 2024 alone, the Ministry verified 29,000 of Kenya’s 32,000 primary and secondary schools, uncovering over 50,000 ghost learners through cross-referencing with the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). The same tools are now being applied to sports. Enter Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), the new digital backbone. By 2026, every student-athlete will be registered with biometric verification, academic history, and age validation baked into the system. ‘It will create a level playing ground,’ Dr. Elyas said. Translation: no more faked birth certificates, no more ‘borrowed’ IDs.
Legal experts are divided. ‘The court may rule that collective punishment is disproportionate,’ says Nairobi-based education lawyer Wanjiku Mwangi. ‘But if the system is riddled with fraud, then strict enforcement becomes a public interest issue.’ Meanwhile, the Supreme Jury — which includes county education directors — is still reviewing the June 10 appeal filed by Mmbwanga. No decision has been announced yet.
The Ministry’s position, while unpopular with some, has support from others. ‘We’ve seen schools bring in 21-year-olds to play U18 basketball,’ said Principal Kipkorir of a public school in Nakuru. ‘If we don’t crack down, we’re cheating our own kids.’
Meanwhile, the legal battle over Friends School-Senende Boys continues. If the High Court rules in favor of the petitioners, it could force KSSSA to rewrite its disciplinary code — perhaps limiting penalties to individual players only. If the Ministry wins, it sets a precedent: schools must accept administrative rulings, even if they feel unjust.
And somewhere in the background, the ghost schools scandal still looms. That 2023 scandal cost the Treasury over KSh 1.2 billion. This? It’s about integrity. About fairness. About making sure that when a kid from a remote village in Vihiga runs onto the track, they’re not competing against someone who’s been paid to pretend they’re 15.
The Ministry argues that legal battles drain public funds better spent on classrooms and infrastructure. It insists KSSSA’s internal appeals process — including review by the Supreme Jury and county education directors — is robust enough to resolve eligibility disputes without court involvement. A circular from the Principal Secretary backs this stance, urging schools to exhaust administrative remedies first.
KEMIS, the Kenya Education Management Information System, is a digital platform being expanded to track every student-athlete’s identity, academic record, and age using biometric data linked to national IDs. By January 2026, schools must upload verified profiles to enter national tournaments. This will eliminate fake birth certificates and impersonation, ensuring only eligible students compete — a direct response to past scandals involving ‘mamluki’ players.
Under current KSSSA rules, yes — Section 17(a)(i) holds schools responsible for verifying all player documentation. But the Friends School case challenges this as disproportionate. The High Court’s ruling could redefine accountability: if the court finds collective punishment unconstitutional, KSSSA may be forced to amend its constitution to penalize only the individual, not the team.
NEMIS (National Education Management Information System) tracks student enrollment and ghost learners across all schools — it helped uncover 50,000 fake students in 2024. KEMIS is its upgraded, sport-specific sibling: it adds athlete profiles, age verification, and eligibility tracking. While NEMIS fights financial fraud, KEMIS fights competitive fraud — ensuring sports are fair, not rigged.
It’s systemic, especially in high-profile tournaments. In 2023, KSSSA disqualified 14 teams across seven counties for age fraud. Investigations revealed some players were up to six years older than their claimed age. Coaches and local officials sometimes turn a blind eye — or even facilitate it — in exchange for trophies or funding. The Ministry’s crackdown aims to break this cycle by making fraud traceable, not just punish it.
If the court sides with Friends School-Senende Boys, it could invalidate KSSSA’s collective punishment policy and force a constitutional review of its rules. The Ministry might be compelled to allow schools to appeal directly to courts — undermining its goal of reducing litigation. But it could also lead to fairer rules, like individual penalties and clearer due process — ultimately strengthening student rights.
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