Nick Mwendwa: I’m still in charge of FKF, we don’t recognise CS Amina’s decision

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chairperson Nick Mwendwa. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chairperson Nick Mwendwa has vowed to oppose the take-over of FKF by a caretaker committee appointed by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

Mwendwa says he will remain in charge of the federation as its chairperson.

In a press conference held at the La Mada Hotel on Thursday, November 11, Nick Mwendwa said he “rejects and rebukes” the appointment of the 15-member committee to run FKF operations on the back of graft investigations.

“We won’t accept that decision [by the Sports ministry],” he said.

Mwendwa said FKF reports to its regulator, FIFA, and not the Ministry of Sports.

“We [the ousted FKF officials] shall remain in charge, and football will continue in this country [under our leadership],” he said.

According to the embattled FKF chairperson, the federation “is not part of the Sports ministry or the Kenyan Government”.

“FKF conforms to FIFA statutes. We reject this move [by the Sports ministry to disband the federation]. No football member should uphold or listen to them.”

Earlier Thursday, CS Amina Mohamed announced the suspension of all FKF officials to pave way for investigations into the federation’s finances.

A 15-member caretaker team, headed by retired judge Aaron Ringera, will be in charge of operations at the federation for six months as probe continues, the minister said.

At least Sh430 million has been disbursed to the FKF since 2019, with a probe launched into how the funds have been used.

The FKF secretariat officials sent packing by CS Amina Mohamed are Nick Mwendwa (chairperson), Doris Petra (deputy chairperson), Michael Ouma, Anthony Makau, Chris Amimo, Nabea Mureithi, Davies Chege, David Bunei, Gabriel Mghendi, Benard Lagat, Ahmed Qadar Mohamed Dabar, Joseph Andere, Tony Kweya, Margaret Omondi, Barry Otieno (CEO) and Christine Ojode.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is the governing body that runs and manages football in Kenya. It was founded as Kenya Football Federation (KFF) in 1960; affiliated to FIFA in 1960; affiliated to the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) in 1961 and affiliated to CECAFA in 1973.

Other than regulating the game, FKF aims to promote and develop the game throughout the country.

The federation is led by an elected president, Nick Mwendwa, deputy president, Doris Petra, and National Executive Committee members (NEC) derived from eight regions.