Change in Kenyan football leadership long overdue

There is a clear lack of governance in the Football Kenya Federation Nation Executive Committee that is supposed to provide strategic leadership and oversight in the running of the game in the country.

This is best illustrated by letters written by  two FKF NEC members Nabea Mureithi and Dabar Ahmedqadar to the federation secretary general and copied to Fifa pointing out that, wait for this, FKF has not held an Annual General Meetings for the past three years!

This is in clear violation of Article 13 and 29 of the FKF constitution. Other violations are failure to hold NEC meetings, expenditure  not being passed by the relevant standing committees nor tabled for discussion for approval by the executive. I could go on.

FKF don't have an iota of respect for their own constitution leave alone the constitution of Kenya.

Just a reminder, the Sports Registrar’s probe report showed that the federation could not fully account for Sh550 million granted by the Exchequer, and is not compliant with the Sports Act 2013. 

Heck, the report also mentions FKF  contravened the Public Finance Management Act, Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015, Asset Disposal Regulation 2020, Employment Act no. 11 of 2007 and International Labour Organization convention numbers 100 and 111.

Suffice to say that the current FKF administration has a propensity to compete for criminal supremacy. Such an environment is not conducive for identification and nurturing of talent. It also does not attract fans and investors.

The challenges we faced as footballers in the 1990s and 2000s  -- inadequate remuneration for players, coaches, referees, no talent development programmes, lack of facilities etc -- remain firmly in place. Meanwhile, match fixing continues unabated. 

Talanta Hela can only succeed when the Sports Cabinet Secretary works with an FKF that understands the nitty gritty of commercializing the sport. 

As of today, there's no roadmap to holding the overdue FKF elections. Reports suggest that the FKF constitution allows the current FKF president to run for a third term. Lest we forget,  the Sports Registrar Regulations 2016, Part VI, 20(6) says: “The newly elected office bearers shall hold office for a period of four years and may be elected for one further term”.

There’s no room for a third term. The laws of the country supersede the FKF constitution. We are a country governed by the rule of law. 

We will only be able to attract meaningful partners if the Kenyan game can demonstrate  a Return On Investments.

Fans would pay for tickets or subscribe to Kenyan football online or on television if they get value for money -- a good experience. This can only happen when we have a leadership that is professional, possesses  management skills, has a proven track record and integrity.

Kenyan football, with the right leadership, can contribute approximately Sh600bn to the GDP of this country hence create jobs, support expansion of tax bracket, reduce the national insecurity and health budget and assist in climate action

Ndege is the Secretary General, Kenya Soccer Players Association, [email protected]