The Football Kenya Federation’s top decision-making body has taken firm action against seven of its National Executive Committee members, including Vice President McDonald Mariga, after a Special General Meeting held in Meru on Saturday.
Delegates at the gathering resolved to expel the officials, citing repeated breaches of the federation’s constitution and rules set by world football’s governing body.
Those removed are Mariga, who served as vice president, Robert Kenneth Macharia representing Central Kenya, Bernard Korir Lagat from the Upper Rift Valley, Violet Kerubo Momanyi as the women’s representative, Collins Opiyo Kalee from Nyanza, Gabriel Mghendi of the Coast region, and Daniel Akala Shikanda from Nairobi. The assembly, which acts as the federation’s highest authority, reached the decision after reviewing what it described as serious and ongoing violations linked to the seven officials’ conduct.
Central to the discussions was a resolution that a section of the National Executive Committee had put forward in April this year. That earlier move had sought the removal of FKF President Hussein Mohammed along with other senior figures in the federation.
Officials also pointed to the seven members’ repeated absence from properly called National Executive Committee meetings, as well as instances where some of them had spoken or acted in the name of the federation without proper authority. These actions, according to the assembly, went against both the FKF constitution and relevant FIFA regulations.
The General Assembly relied on specific articles in the federation’s constitution that allow for the expulsion of members and the dismissal of National Executive Committee officials when serious breaches occur.
Representatives from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football attended the Meru meeting, along with Acting Sports Registrar Chacha J. Maroa and officials from the State Department for Sports.
Their presence underscored the importance of the proceedings and the desire to keep Kenyan football administration aligned with international standards.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the federation stressed its continued commitment to constitutional governance, accountability, and stability in the running of the game in the country. It added that further details on how the resolutions would be put into effect, including any new administrative arrangements, would be shared in due course. The expelled officials also remain open to possible further sanctions from the judicial bodies of the FKF, CAF, and FIFA.
The Special General Meeting itself took place against a backdrop of tension. Police officers, including members of the Rapid Deployment Unit, were deployed at the Three Steers Hotel in Meru to maintain order as large numbers of people gathered outside the venue.
The start of the meeting, originally set for 9 a.m., was delayed while security teams secured the premises and ensured only accredited delegates could enter. Reports indicated that some individuals had occupied parts of the hotel, prompting officers to clear the areas. Tear gas was used at the main entrance at one point to disperse crowds, and Mariga himself arrived under police escort after a confrontation involving a man near his vehicle.
The friction in Meru followed an earlier incident the previous day in which an FKF National Executive Committee member and two branch chairmen were reportedly involved in a physical confrontation while checking preparations for the meeting.
The crisis within the FKF has been building since April, when a group of National Executive Committee members, including those later expelled, attempted to suspend President Hussein Mohammed and other officials over allegations related to the procurement of insurance cover for the African Nations Championship that Kenya co-hosted.
That move was later challenged on procedural grounds, and the resulting standoff led to boycotts of meetings and a prolonged inability of the National Executive Committee to function effectively.
The Special General Meeting in Meru was convened precisely to address this leadership impasse and restore clear lines of authority.
