FKF Caretaker Committee suspends top tier leagues
Gor Mahia midfielder Peter Oudu (right) leaves Sofapaka forward Joseph Waithira (down) for dead during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on October 30, 2021.
What you need to know:
- On its first day of operation, the committee led by Retired Justice Aaron Ringera unanimously decided that the FKF Premier League, National Super League, Division One league, Women's Premier League and Women's Division One League are suspended effective Friday
- Committee temporarily suspends top leagues, takes over running of Harambee Stars
- Under leadership of Ringera, committee assures the country that its affairs will be run transparently as they streamline management of the troubled game
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Caretaker Committee has hit the ground running as they begin their mandate, just a day after they were appointed by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.
Committee chairman retired Justice Aaron Ringera assured stakeholders during a press conference in Nairobi on Friday that everything will be run transparently as they hope to streamline the management of the game.
He announced that top FKF leagues including the Premier League and Women Premier League (WPL) will be suspended for two weeks to enable his team engage with clubs and football stakeholders.
He said the international matches including the Harambee Stars versus Rwanda World Cup qualifier will proceed as planned, adding that leagues at branch and sub-branch will continue as planned.
“Following a meeting held this morning, it has been unanimously decided to suspend The FKF-PL, FKF National Super League, FKF Division One, FKF Women’s Premier League and FKF Women’s Division One League for two weeks,” said Ringera.
He added that his committee had taken over the national team Harambee Stars after Nick Mwendwa’s FKF office was disbanded upon recommendation of an inspection committee constituted by the Registrar of Sports Rose Wasike.
“As we are here, our team is preparing to receive the Rwandan national team to make sure they are taken care of. We shall manage the match at Nyayo National Stadium on Monday,” said Ringera.
“We wish to reassure all Kenyans that the committee will ensure smooth operations of all football activities across the country and beyond.”
Mwendwa’s team has been denied access to the federation offices based at Kasarani as DCI and other government arms investigate further to establish the extent to which the misappropriation of funds at the football body.
Top clubs in the country supported the action of the government on the federation.
“We pledge your support as you burn the moon and midnight oil to bring back sound management and institute integrity in the football industry,” said Gor Mahia secretary general Bernard Omondi in a statement.
“The management of Posta Rangers is fully committed to supporting the caretaker committee as they take up the management of running the federation in the next six months as directed by the National Government,” said Posta Rangers chairman John Tonui.
At the same time Fifa have written to FKF on the CS’s action warning that “should this be considered as undue government interference in the internal affairs of the FKF, it could lead to a ban imposed on the FKF by the competent Fifa body.”
The letter by Kenny Jean Marie, Fifa’s head of member associations, addressed to embattled FKF general secretary Barry Otieno, however, appeared to indicate the sport’s world governing body was ready to hold talks between the Sports Ministry and FKF officials “on a way forward for the sake of Kenyan football.”
Former FKF president Sam Nyamweya said: whereas Fifa proposal for a round table meeting is highly welcome, the decision to disband FKF leadership by the CS should remain in force.”
