Differences between Football Kenya federation (FKF) and a media company with whom it signed commercial rights early this year have spilled to the public domain and heightened tension in the campaigns ahead of the elections next month.
Candidates are selling their agenda to an increasingly expectant public.
The incumbent, Sam Nyamweya, who will be defending the chairmanship, faces the stiffest challenge of his reign in football management, with Kariobangi Sharks Chairman Nick Mwendwa and Gor Mahia Chairman Ambrose Rachier emerging as serious challengers. Gor Semelang’o, who formerly chaired the Youth Enterprise Fund, is also in the race for the top seat.
The FKF boss has sensationally accused MP & Silva boss Andrea Silva of meddling in local football politics to allegedly influence the forthcoming elections.
“It has come to the attention of Football Kenya Federation that Mr. Andrea F. Silva, an agent of the aforementioned organization, is now involved in the politics of the forthcoming football elections, working with individuals who have been fighting FKF with the aim of undermining the federation and bring down its leadership.
“FKF hereby emphasizes that the relationship between MP & Silva and the Federation was purely commercial and at no point in time did the federation or its agents conduct itself in any manner to undermine the organization even when there have been clear efforts by Mr. Silva to antagonize FKF,” Nyamweya said in a statement on Monday.
Silva declined to comment directly on the accusations. But FeverPitch has learnt that Silva recorded a statement with the Criminal Investigations Department on Thursday in which he stated the chronology of events that led to the crumbling of their commercial contract with FKF.
KPL chief executive officer Jack Oguda also recorded a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on the issue of signatures appended to an attendance sheet during a FKF meeting in Kakamega.
Silva said FKF and MP & Silva entered into a global licensing terms on February 11, 2015, in which the company would pay an annual minimum guaranteed payment of US$2.5 million per year.
“The company would have the rights to commercialise all the media and commercial rights for all the FKF’s seven tiers and the national team,” he wrote in the signed statement.
“We received the term sheet in London on 12th February 2015. WE requested by mail that the Federation gives a confirmation to MP & Silva that they had authority from the premier league clubs.
“We received a list signed by 18 premier league clubs...” he said. KPL Premier League has 16 clubs. But the list, states Silva, also has Shabana, Rangers, Nakumatt and Kakamega Homeboyz.
Silva says the list was neither dated nor titled.
“Based on the list, the company released funds to the federation in two instalments. The first payment was made on 14th February 2015 (US$300,000) and a further on 16th March 2015 (US$533,000)...
“Further to the two paayments, we established that the Federation was not in a position to offer the commercial rights for the premier league clubs or at the very least the two largest clubs being Gor Mahia and AFC leopards...
“It further transpired that the Federation did not have the rights to sell the commercial rights for the national team as the rights belonged to the Confederation of African Football (CAF),” he wrote, concluding that they are still pursuing a renegotiation. Nyamweya has accused Silva of working with some people to influence the outcome of the forthcoming elections.
“FKF wishes to emphasize that the forthcoming elections are a democratic process governed by the universal principles of holding elections as well as the FIFA and FKF Statutes...
“FKF would like to underscore the fact that the elections are open to all that meet the eligibility criteria and nobody can attempt to suggest they know the outcome of the elections before the process is concluded.
“Whatever their interests is in Kenyan football, Mr. Silva and others with similar intentions are advised to immediately stop meddling in the Kenyan football politics and FKF will not hesitate to report any conduct unbecoming in this regard to FIFA for further investigations and action. Candidates or their agents acting in collaboration with Mr. Silva and others who are meddling in the football elections risk being disqualified from the elections on integrity grounds.”