County Football Associations welcome High Court ruling on status of FKF

Sports CS  Amina Mohammed flanked by her PS Joe Okudo, receiving FKF Caretaker Committee Report from Committee Chairman Harun Ringera at The Moi Sports Centre Kasarani on  May 10, 2022. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

County Football Associations (CFAs) have praised the ruling by the High Court of Kenya that the troubled football body, FKF, “is subject to the Constitution of Kenya, the Sports Act and all laws of Kenya.”

The caucus of CFA chairmen led by Charles Njoroge of Nairobi County said the High Court had underlined the supremacy of the Constitution of Kenya and the Sports Act 2013.

“Kenya is a country governed by the rule of law. The Constitution of Kenya is supreme. And so, we are happy that the High Court has pronounced itself on this matter, which FKF themselves took to court,” said Njoroge.

The High Court ruling will be a huge blow to the former FKF officials, who had hoped to be reinstated.

Ousted FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) had filed a petition challenging the legality of the Sports CS' decision to disband the federation and appoint a Caretaker Committee on November 11 last year.

Nairobi County Football Association chairman Charles Njoroge (left), Erick Kyongo (Taita Taveta) and Michael Kimani (Uasin Gishu) [photo courtesy]

On Tuesday, however, High Court Judge Hedgwig Ong’undi dismissed the petition, ruling also that, “the Cabinet Secretary acted within her mandate under the Sports Act to appoint the FKF Caretaker Committee.”

The ruling added: “The Petitioners were accorded an opportunity to be heard and the Inspection Report was carried out in accordance with the law.”

Judge Ong’udi concluded: “The Petition lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.”

The High Court also directed the Sports Registrar to serve the Petitioners with the Inspection Report within 14 days.

Reacting to the FKF Caretaker Committee’s report, which was handed today to the Sports CS Amb. Amina Mohamed, Njoroge said the CFAs are members of FKF legally reconginsed by the Sports Act 2013.

“While we commend the FKF Caretaker Committee for their report, it is erroneous for them to state that we are not members of the FKF. We are members who chose to abide by the Constitution of Kenya and the Sports Act. The FKF Caretaker Committee appears to suggest that we made a mistake to comply with the laws of Kenya. We hope that position will be revised,” Njoroge said.

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