Embattled Nick Mwendwa loses bid to stop caretaker team
Football Kenya Federation’s Kandanda House headquarters at Kasarani on November 12, 2021 where its main gates were locked and no federation officials were allowed entry.
What you need to know:
- FKF boss arrested in Nairobi moments after his court bid fails
Embattled Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa faces a fight of his life in a bid to reclaim his freedom and position as the country’s football boss.
Mwendwa, 42, has endured a tough week since Sports Cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed disbanded FKF on Thursday.
He was arrested by six Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) officers in Nairobi yesterday over the federation’s financial dealings .
Nation Sport understands the football boss was taken to the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road for questioning over alleged misappropriation of funds.
A bid by Mwendwa to stop the appointment of a caretaker committee to run football hit a snag also on Friday.
Declining to bar the taking over of FKF by a caretaker committee led by Aaron Ringera from carrying out its duties, Justice Hedwing Ong’udi said the court cannot interfere on the issue at this stage.
“This court declines to give orders sought by FKF at this stage since the process begun on October 14, 2021,” ruled the judge.
FKF through lawyer Charles Njenga sought to halt the appointment of the caretaker committee saying the move by the Sports CS Amina Mohamed was unconstitutional, irregular and unfair inspection of the federations activities and financial records for the last seven years.
“The action of the CS in ordering the appointment of a caretaker committee to oversee football activities is a process not contemplated in law and whose outcome will be tainted in law and will adversely affect the rights and fundamental freedoms of FKF,” Njenga told Justice Ong’udi.
State counsel Thande Kuria for Sports Registrar, FKF Inspection Committee and the Attorney General opposed the federation’s application.
Kuria urged the judge to decline the prayers to stop the management take over by the committee appointed by the government.
The CS and the other respondents sought time to file responses to the ray of issues raised by FKF in the case.
In her brief ruling, Justice Ong’udi said she will not halt the move by the CS to appoint a committee to oversee the football activities, saying FKF should have petitioned them before the inspection process commenced.
“The process I am being asked to suspend begun in October 14, 2021. Any aggrieved party should have petitioned at that stage.”
The judge said the court will not hesitate to quash the CSs actions should any illegality be proved at the hearing stage.
“This court shall not hesitate to reverse the action of the CS if any illegality is proved,” Justice Ong’udi ruled.
She directed the case to be heard inter-parties on November 23.
