Sports Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke says the government was compelled by Fifa to reinstate suspended Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials as a condition of lifting an indefinite suspension slapped by the international football body.
The PS made the revelation in his presentation on the state of football in the country to the National Assembly Committee on Sports, Culture and Tourism in Nairobi last Friday.
The committee, chaired by Webuye MP Dan Wanyama, observed there exists a leadership crisis in the sport with FKF and County Football Association (CFA) officials pulling in separate directions at the expense of talent development.
“Fifa came here and told us it was not in order to disband an entire federation if the government had an issue with one person,” explained Mueke.
“They advised us to have the person with issues step aside and reinstate the remaining officials as a condition for readmission to international football.”
Fifa unconditionally lifted a 16-month ban on Kenyan football on November 2022 after Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba reinstated FKF officials led by Deputy President Doris Petra and Chief Executive Barry Otieno.
The federation president Nick Mwendwa stepped aside, but has since assumed office after he was cleared of economic crimes by a Nairobi court.
The ban was slapped on Kenya after former Sports CS Amina Mohamed disbanded FKF after an inspection report she had commissioned showed abuse of office and corruption in the sports body dealings.
Meanwhile, Wanyama has directed the Ministry of Sports to convene a meeting consisting his committee, FKF and CFA officials in a bid to address the leadership wrangles.
National Assembly Committee on Sports, Culture and Tourism chairman Dan Wanyama (left) shares light moments with CFAs National Coordinator and Nairobi CFA Secretary Wilfred Marori.
Photo credit: Pool
“These (wrangles) have been going on forever and they must stop. Please give it (negotiations0 a priority because we shall summon you here and we will not have very kind words,” Wanyama told Mueke.
CFA Nairobi secretary Wilfred Marori told Nation Sport he is ready to give dialogue a chance.
“We are ready for talks with FKF but they have to be done as per the Sports Act. I ask Namwamba to stop the PR gimmicks and work to ensure football in the country is run in a professional manner,” he said.
The committee also heard that a number of teams, including AP Bomet, have been denied promotion to the Kenyan Premier League on controversial grounds.
