Five members of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Leagues and Competition Committee have secured a reprieve in a disciplinary case instigated against them by the federation and its president, Hussein Mohammed.
The Sports Dispute Tribunal recently ruled on August 26 that the Competition Committee members had grounds to question the legality of the federation’s judicial bodies as currently constituted.
The Leagues and Competition Committee (LCC), chaired by Peter Kamau Chege, had disagreed with the FKF leadership over the rules used in determining promotion and relegation in the Premier Kenya.
The FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) adopted new rules and regulations last season, where the bottom three sides automatically dropped while the top three in the National Super League were promoted.
In the previous regulations, the bottom two teams in the Premiership were automatically relegated while the third-last finisher engaged in a two-leg play-off with the third-placed finisher in the NSL.
On June 2, Kariobangi Sharks CEO Linda Ambiyo wrote to the federation seeking clarity on the promotion/relegation regulations.
Dennis Gicheru, the acting FKF CEO wrote back to Sharks, stating that during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on September 19, last year, they resolved to do away with the 2019 relegation and promotion rules.
In the new rules adopted, the bottom three Premier League clubs would be automatically relegated, and the top three NSL sides would be automatically promoted.
“There shall be no end-of-season play-offs. This is in line with the NEC Resolutions, which take effect immediately they are passed.” Gicheru communicated to Sharks.
But Sharks, who finished in 16th and third last position in the 2025/26 Premier League, replied to Gicheru, demanding that a certified copy of the FKF NEC resolution be provided together with proof of the exact date and manner in which clubs were notified of this rule change before the season began.
Sharks indicated they would appeal the rule change and sought guidance on which FKF judicial body would handle their case.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino (seated, second left) with Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and FKF president Hussein Mohammed during a tour of the Talanta Stadium in Nairobi August 30, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
At this point, Chege, in direct contradiction to the NEC’s resolution, said the new rules had not been formally approved by the federation because of constitutional flaws.
In an internal memo, Chege accused Gicheru of inventing the “immediate” rules change.
“I wish to advise that this matter requires conclusive deliberation and formal resolution by the National Executive Committee prior to any such communication,” Chege stated in an internal communication.
Chege noted that while the Leagues and Competition Committee he chaired had proposed restructuring the league system in June 2025, the NEC did not pass the resolutions at the September 19 meeting because members raised major constitutional queries.
According to Chege, the NEC rejected the immediate implementation because the process required public participation and formal ratification by the General Assembly.
Chege also charged that the minutes of the September 19, 2025, meeting were neither circulated to members nor adopted in subsequent meetings held in November 2025 and January 2026.
The FKF Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Nadi Boru, initiated disciplinary proceedings against Chege and four other members of the LCC on May 28.
Chege and the committee members sued the federation at the Sports Disputes Tribunal in August this year, seeking to stop them from disciplining them.
The Tribunal recently dismissed the Disciplinary Committee’s preliminary objection that the LCC’s five officials ought to have taken their grievances to the federation’s Appeals Committee before seeking the intervention of the Tribunal.
The Disciplinary Committee relied on Article 67(2) of the FKF Constitution, which establishes the Appeals Committee and assigns it responsibility for hearing appeals against decisions made by the federation’s various committees.
But Chege and his colleagues argued that the dispute concerned the legality of the disciplinary proceedings and the authority of the bodies responsible for conducting them.
Ally Salum Omar of Kariobangi Sharks celebrates his goal against Posta Rangers during an FKF Premier League match at Dandora Stadium on February 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
They questioned whether the committees had been constituted in accordance with provisions of the federation’s 2017 constitution.
They charged that committee members of the Appeals Committee had not been elected by the FKF General Assembly following proposals by the NEC, as was required under Article 64 (4) of the FKF constitution.
“It is not in doubt that the FKF Appeals Committee is in existence. In fact, the petitioners acknowledge its very existence.
However, the petitioners’ primary gravamen in their suit is the contention that both the FKF Disciplinary Committee and the FKF Appeals Committee are not properly constituted and are bereft of jurisdiction to hear and determine any complaint or appeal,” noted the Tribunal.
The Tribunal, however, did not determine whether the disciplinary proceedings against them were lawful or whether their allegations concerning the committees were justified.
For now, the Disciplinary Committee cannot carry on with its proceedings against the League and Competition Committee member.
However, the Tribunal has not ruled that the disciplinary proceedings must be permanently stopped, or established that the committees were improperly constituted.
Those questions remain to be determined, and both parties have been ordered to file submissions.
