FKF presidential aspirant Sam Nyamweya vows to fight match-fixing
Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Sam Nyamweya has vowed to eradicate match-fixing in the sport if handed a second chance at the top job.
The veteran football administrator, who doubles up as top-flight club Shabana FC patron, has announced his intent to contest for the FKF presidency in the forthcoming polls.
He said: “Cases of match-fixing have become rampant in Kenya with the most recent video which went viral on social media of Vihiga Bullets head coach Charles Owoko parading a man he suspected was allegedly trying to manipulate one of their upcoming matches in the lower division league.”
“Imagine at this age and era going to pay and watch a match that is already fixed, a match in which already some individuals know the outcome? I want to assure Kenyans that match-fixing will be a thing of the past when I get re-elected. It will be my first priority when I take over office, and with the help of Parliament, I will engage them to pass a law that will criminalize the vice. It is something I will not watch happen under my reign and will make sure the tough law is put in place to apprehend those involved.”
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Cases of match-fixing have been on the rise.
In 2022, Police arrested four individuals in Nairobi, including two foreigners suspected of attempting to fix a league match involving Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side City Stars and Sofapaka.
A year earlier, a Ugandan national was arrested in Kisumu on suspicion of trying to manipulate a football match involving Western Stima.
And in 2020, football’s world governing body Fifa announced it had banned three Kenyan players and a Ugandan from all football activities for four years for allegedly being involved in match-fixing.
Those banned were Moses Chikati, Festus Okiring, Festo Omukoto, and George Mandela, who were all attached to Kakamega Homeboyz at the time.
Nyamweya served as FKF president between 2011 and 2016 and was integral in aiding Harambee Stars to win the 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup regional tournament which was hosted by Kenya.
He was also key in convincing the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to award Kenya the hosting rights for the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) even though the country failed to host the tournament owing to a lack of preparedness.
In a related move, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba recently announced he expects the polls to be held in February 2024, but FKK is yet to issue a roadmap for the polls.
Besides Nyamweya, those interested in contesting for the FKF presidency, a position currently held by Nick Mwendwa, are Gor Mahia secretary Sam Ocholla, US-based ex-football Sam ‘Kempes’ Owino, Extreme Sports Chief Executive Hussein Mohammed and ex-FKF Chief Executive Omondi Aduda.