Looming standoff: FKF meeting called off at eleventh hour due to court order

FKF delegates during a media briefing at Sportsview Hotel, Kasarani on March 14, 2024. The ninth FKF Annual General Meeting has been cancelled due to a court order. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The eagerly awaited Football Kenya Federation Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been cancelled at the last minute after a High Court in Mombasa stopped the meeting on Friday evening following a case filed by Sports journalist Milton Nyakundi.

The meeting was set for Saturday at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), Nairobi.

A delegate, who sought anonymity, said: “We have been informed by the FKF officials that they have been served with an injunction. Since we are law-abiding citizens, we will respect the court.”

The hearing is set for March 18.

Even before the injunction there was already a stand-off between FKF delegates and a section of aspiring presidential candidates ahead of the meeting.

While the delegates had declared that today’s AGM was only to be attended by registered members, some aspiring candidates had threatened to grace the meeting by force as others termed the move as ‘draconian’, saying it aimed to lock them out of the upcoming elections.

The meeting was expected to ratify the controversial FKF Electoral Code (2020) which was part of the resolutions passed by FKF’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on January 6, 2024, set dates for the upcoming elections as well as discuss the financial report.

It is not clear if the interested presidential and vice presidential candidates led by former FKF president Sam Nyamweya, Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed, former FKF Secretary General Lordvick Aduda, former Harambee Stars midfielders Sammy Owino ‘Kempes’ and McDonald Mariga, Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla and former Nyanza NEC member Tom Alila will contest if the code is adopted. The incumbent Nick Mwendwa, who is serving his second term, has not yet made a decision to defend his seat.

As per the code, each candidate shall have been active in football (i.e. registered as an NEC member, Committee member, Referee, Assistant Referee, Coach, Trainer, or as any other person responsible for Technical, Medical or Administrative matters in FKF, League or Club or as a Player) for three of the last four years before being proposed as a candidate.

And on Friday during a press briefing in Nairobi, 82 out of the 94 delegates drawn from FKF Premier League, National Super League, Kenya Women Premier League and Division One League clubs sent a stern warning to non-members to stay away from the meeting. Save for AFC Leopards and Murang’a SEAL, all the other 16 FKF Premier League clubs attended the briefing.

This comes barely a few days after the federation’s General Secretary and CEO Barry Otieno issued a letter to presidential aspirant Hussein Mohammed, who is associated with Murang’a SEAL, barring him from participating in the AGM citing eligibility-related issues.

Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir said that all members must adhere to the FKF constitution and safeguard it.

“All clubs and members must adhere to article 8.1.4 which says that owners and officials of clubs shall be as indicated in the club’s register filled to the federation. If a club is to present someone who is not registered with the federation as their official or member, do they have any business to be part of the AGM?

“As KPL clubs we must at all times comply with the constitution, and any club that doesn’t comply with Article 8.1.4 they should not constitute a crisis for the rest of us. I stand here as a representation of the 18 KPL clubs, so if you don’t want to conform with what is in the constitution, then please leave us alone,” said Korir.

His sentiments were echoed by James Kamau (FKF Kiambu Branch chairman), Lilian Kazungu (FKF Mombasa Branch chairperson) and Yusufu Swaleh (Darajani Gogo chairman) who warned non-members to grace the meeting at their own peril.

“We are aware that there are some individuals who want to disrupt our AGM. We are not here for anything else but to protect the image and future of the careers of our youths. There are people who want to be sensational and create headlines, but let them know that if they come, we shall follow the rules of the FKF constitution and throw them out legally,” said Kamau.

“The constitution of the federation is the cornerstone that guides the rules and regulation of the AGM. As delegates, we will not allow any member knowingly or unknowingly to disrespect the FKF constitution. Therefore, we are warning those who are planning to disrupt our meeting to do so at their own peril,” added Kazungu and Swaleh.

But in a swift rejoinder, FKF North Eastern NEC member Dabar Ahmedqadar and his Eastern counterpart Murithi Nabea condemned the decision by the federation to block Hussein Mohammed from attending the meeting.

“The attempt to disallow Murang’a SEAL FC from sending vice chairman Hussein Mohammed as their representative flagrantly disregards this constitutional provision. Any assertion that Mr. Mohammed's attendance is "ineligible" is baseless and lacks merit, particularly when it comes from individuals whose authority does not extend to dictating clubs' choices of representation,” they said in a statement.

"We stand in solidarity with Murang’a SEAL FC and any other club exercising their rights under the FKF Constitution. It is imperative that we uphold the integrity of our organisation by respecting its founding principles and ensuring that all members are treated fairly and in accordance with established rules.”

Aspiring presidential candidate Sammy Owino ‘Kempes’ and former Sammy Sholei said they are both not surprised by the delegates’ statements.

“The real fight will begin with what the delegates will pass in the AGM. Our hope is that they do the right thing for the sake of our nation. I plead with them to ask the tough questions regarding the financial report, Electoral Code and questionable members in the Election Board,” said Owino.

“I’m disappointed with some of the delegates because we talked with them about fighting to change how football is run at the federation, but unfortunately they are now supporting the mediocrity in football management today,” added Sholei.

However, for Lordvick Aduda, the delegates are just following the constitution.

“I don’t see any problem with either the AGM or Electoral Code. First, the meeting belongs to FKF members only and it’s not possible for a non-member to attend. Secondly, the code is a product of public participation after the previous election was nullified twice. Let all those who feel aggrieved show proof that they have been participating in FKF’s activities for the last three years,” said Aduda.