Why time is ripe for Sam Nyamweya to exit Kenyan football scene

FKF PRESIDENT SAM NYAMWEYA Federation of Kenya Football President Sam Nyamweya during the interview at his Karen residence in Nairobi on Thursday,August 07. PHOTOS:COLLINS KWEYU

Recent events in Kenyan football lay full credence to the fact that Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Sam Nyamweya and his team have outlived their usefulness at the helm of Kenyan football.

To begin with, FKF has been operating outside the law by failing to comply with the Sports Act 2013, specifically Section 48 of that Act that requires that it re-aligns its constitution and regulations to the Sports Act before seeking re-registration.

At the very beginning of their current term, FKF's top leadership ensured that those officials who were interested in cleaning the game such as Sammy Sholei and Dan Shikanda were hounded out of office through suspensions.

They were suspended for filing court case in contravention of Fifa statutes yet the same FKF top leadership has recently flouted this same statute with impunity by taking Kenya Premier League (KPL) to court.

Overwhelmingly, there has been gross mismanagement of funds meant for the development of Kenyan football. Fifa gives FKF approximately $250,000 (Sh23 million) each year yet it is never accounted for.

The world football governing body has in the recent past even given the FKF money to pay referees yet is alleged none of that money was given to referees. Instead, there have been claims of irregular massive withdrawals of the Fifa disbursements by top FKF officials.

Mismanagement of sponsorship money emanating from broadcasting rights that is generated by the KPL has been another cause of great concern. Take for example a recent deal for marketing rights that FKF entered into with sports marketing agency MP & Silva. Local premier league clubs have accused the federation of forging the signatures of their chairmen and using them to get Sh83 million from the agency meant for the KPL on behalf of the clubs.

Football lovers have also witnessed complete mismanagement of the national teams.

There have been virtually no positive developments in Kenyan football over the last five years. Perhaps the only positive aspect of Kenya football in the recent past has been the KPL, which the same FKF leadership has viciously attempted to ruin as well. Major football stakeholders have lost faith in the current FKF leadership.

— The writer, an ardent football fan is a management consultant based in Nairobi.