Nine reasons why Uncle Sam Nyamweya can’t sleep

1. Hostile delegates

According to Kenyan Premier League’s GMT Ottieno, the recent botched FKF Annual General Meeting in Kisii had nothing to do with insecurity, but was a case of Nyamweya being beaten at his own game.

“It was as if someone had scheduled a match to be played in his own backyard, but minutes into kick off, he realised that he has got a weak team that stands no chance against the opponent, so he calls off the match,” said GMT Ottieno.

Nyamweya, when speaking to journalists, said that the reason for the calling off of the Kisii meeting was insecurity.

2. StarTimes TV deal

After what was reported as the biggest TV deal for Kenya’s national football team, it took StarTimes two days to disclose that the integrity of their sponsorship of Harambee Stars has been compromised and wanted the deal renegotiated.

3. MP & Silva contract

A letter from MP & Silva’s Roberto Dalmiglio seeks to have the TV rights deal for the local league renegotiated. “We suggest to renegotiate between now and when the next payment is due on May 16 to come to a mutually agreeable compromise to ensure our continued cooperation on this exciting project,” writes Dalmiglio.

4. KPL and the signatures scandal

Who is telling the truth between FKF and KPL over alleged forgery of signatures between the two warring factions? That’s the unanswered question. Whereas KPL

has threatened to sue the federation for what they allege was an outright forgery, Nyamweya dismissed the assertions, saying that, “The list that is circulating with allegedly forged signatures from our AGM in Kakamega is total rubbish. There is no way the minutes of an AGM can be released before the next AGM is held.”

5. Afcon bid

Many would not forget the recent revelation that A French company contracted by FKF to champion a bid for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) instituted legal proceedings to get their payment.

Leonard Dubreuil, who runs INSYS International, has taken the unusual step to sue FKF in a bid to recover $30,000 (Sh3 million) which they had charged FKF for preparing the bid documents.

An email sent to ‘Uncle Sam’ by INSYS read in part: “...it is with deep regret that we have decided to take our case of non-payment of USD 30,000 before court. We were mandated on the 5th of September 2014 to make the bid document on behalf of Kenya for the Afcon 2017.”

6. EACC list of shame

When the controversial Ethics and Anticorruption Commision’s (EACC) list of shame was published, ‘Uncle Sam’ was not amused.

FKF rensponded by stating that the federation is not a state agency and its officials are thus not state officers as per the law, a statement that EACC has not acknowledge either.

7. Change of jersey?

Nyamweya may have to get the national team a permanent kit to avoid the numerous controversies which have seen Stars play almost every tournament with a different kit. A Fench company is said to have sued FKF over Stars’ playing kit.

8. ‘Nyamweya must go’ chants

Kenyans directed their frustration at the FKF boss after Harambee Stars unceremoniously exited the African Nations Championship competitions on July 4. ‘Uncle Sam’ was treated to a barrage of verbal dressing-down after fans heckled and blamed him for the national team‘s woes.

Some however absolved Nyamweya of the blame, arguing that he was not the one who lost the penalties against the Ethiopians.