FKF Western branch yesterday won a protracted battle with the national office, Football Kenya Limited, to have a 22-team Nationwide League instead of 20.

The branch secretary, George Baraza, said the move to have a 20-team league would have meant their teams play another mini-league with Nyanza and North Rift teams. "We appealed to the national leagues and competitions committee chairperson Doris Petro who acceded to our request and shelved their plans," he said. With their appeal receiving positive results, Baraza said the mini-league involving six teams from

Western and Nort-western branches will kick off on December 20-22 in Kakamega. Western will be represented by Mumias Co-operatives and Busia's Lake View and Kolongolo. North Western will feature Asing'e from Teso, Lumakanda (Lugari) and Bumula Combined from Bungoma.

Asing'e FC are the new North Western Provincial League champions after emerging top among 13 teams which took part in the league. Lumakanda took second position while Bumula Combined finished third to book tickets for the mini-league. MUMCOP won the Western mini-league title after thrashing Lake View 4-1 in the finals at the Mumias Sugar Sports Complex.