Mwayoyo, Omondi ask Football Kenya Federation to review suspensions

By ERNEST NDUNDA and NICK OLUOCH

KENYA: Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Sam Nyamweya has been given up to January 31 to call for a Special General Meeting (SGM) to review the suspension of some National Executive Committee members.

Federation’s South Coast branch chairman Hamisi Mwayoyo said the suspension issue has dragged for long and it is time the matter was resolved.

“We are tired of seeing our good sport dragged behind by some few officials and it is time suspended officials are expelled or reinstated,” said Mwayoyo.

Mwayoyo, who claimed to  be speaking on behalf of the 19 branches, said all elected officials and Kenyans were not interested in petty leadership wrangles.

“As elected chairmen of all the branches, our role is to promote football and not engage in leadership wrangles, which would affect the smooth running of football in the country,” added Mwayoyo.

“We urge FKF President Sam Nyamweya to take a bold step and call for a Special General Meeting to solve this issue of suspensions among others,” said Mwayoyo.

FKF Vice Chairman Sammy Sholei, NEC members Hussein Terry and Tom Alila and the federation’s Nairobi branch Chairman Dan Shikanda were suspended  by the federation.

Among other issues Mwayoyo and other chairmen want to be discussed are the Strategic Plan project and the running of both the FKF Division One and the newly introduced National Super League.

“We are determined to support Nyamweya and bring back the lost glory in Kenyan football and this can only happen if we all dance to the same tune,” said Mwayoyo.

“Our resolution for 2014 is to embark on a serious programme of promoting football standards in the country,” he added.

The same sentiments were  echoed by Nyanza West FKF branch Secretary Aggrey Omondi.

Speaking in Migori town, Omondi said: “The suspensions cannot go on forever and it is time the issue was sorted out.”

He added that operations in Nyanza and Coast provinces had been worst hit by the suspensions.

Omondi called on the officials with issues with the federation to avoid going to court and other government agencies, saying the federation has its own mechanisms of solving its internal issues. He said negative publicity of the federation will only scare away sponsors.

“Federations across the world have their own challenges, but it is how they manage these challenges that matter,” he said.