FKF body opposes Transition Committee's term extension

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Management Committee has protested the decision by Sports CS Amina Mohamed to extend for another two months the term of the FKF Transition Committee.

According to Monday’s gazette notice by CS Amina, the extension of the tenure of the 11-member Transition Committee headed by General (retired) Maurice Oyugi, and the seven-member Secretariat led by journalist Lindah Oguttuh takes effect Tuesday.

Their term in office ended Sunday and the CS’s decision is seen as a way of ensuring there is no vacuum in the running of the sport in the country. 

But through its chairman Robert Macharia, the FKF Management Committee said the CS’s decision was in “bad taste” for Kenyan football, and that they will do everything possible to take over the running of the sport in the country.

He said they plan to meet Tuesday night to deliberate on the way forward.

Challenging the CS’s decision before the Sports Disputes Tribunal and asking their members to boycott leagues organised by the Transition Committee are some of the actions Macharia said were on the table.

“It was in bad taste. The previous extension (of the term of the FKF Transition Committee) by the CS was for the purpose of successful completion of the leagues. What will they now be doing?” posed Macharia. 

“We will not allow the Transition Committee to continue being in office. If it means challenging it in court, we will do that. We will also ask our members to boycott any league that the Transition Committee plans to organise.”

Before their tenure came to an end, the Transition Committee last week released fixtures for the 2022/23 FKF Premier League (FKF-PL) and Kenya Women’s Premier League (KWPL).

It set September 10 as the kick-off date of the FKF-PL while the KWPL should start on September 25.

However, the 13-member FKF Management Committee that was formed on June 16 during a Special General Meeting held at Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani in Nairobi protested that move.

It said it will release its own fixtures for the competition. 

Apart from Macharia, who is the Murang’a Seals chairman and represents the Central region, the other members of the FKF Management Committee are Nairobi’s Amos Otieno (vice chairman) and Nyanza’s Luthers Mokua (secretary general).

The rest include: Boaz Keino (Upper Rift Valley), Kenneth Ruto (Lower Rift Valley), Caleb Amwai (Western), Lilian Nadunda (Coast), Abdullahi Salat (North Eastern), Alex Musikeri (Eastern), Chris Mmbwanga (FKF-Premier League clubs), Ken Ochieng (National Super League clubs), Kent Lubiso (FKF Division One Leagues) and Paul Makumi (Kenya Women Premier League clubs).

Their plan to take over the management of the sport in the country was first thwarted when the CS on June 16 extended the term of the Transition Committee for two months. 

Previously, football activities in the country were run by the FKF Caretaker Committee.

This was after CS Amina disbanded the Nick Mwendwa-led federation last November after an audit report in the accounts of the federation revealed massive financial misappropriation. 

Mwendwa was charged with corruption allegations before the High Court.

As a result of the government’s interference in the management of football in the country, Fifa suspended Kenya from its activities.

With the Ministry of Sports having failed in its effort to convince Fifa to lift the suspension, which has taken a heavy toll on Kenya’s football, Macharia said the new regime should prioritise solving the stalemate.

“We want it (Fifa suspension) sorted. Players are suffering because clubs are not able to get sponsorship without a proper league,” he said. 

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