Nairobi News

Orange Democratic Movement’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, also the Senator of Nairobi, revealed in a podcast that opposition leader Raila Odinga had trained his sights on disbanding the beleaguered Football Kenya Federation had he won the presidency in the 2022 polls, if it meant brining back sanity to Kenyan football.

Making the revelations on the Mic Cheque Podcast, Senator Sifuna said this conversation between him and Raila took place during a helicopter ride from Naivasha to Kisumu following their watching a match in which Arsenal, an English Premier League club, had played.

Mr Odinga is an ardent fan of both FKF Premier League side Gor Mahia, national team Harambee Stars and Arsenal.

“There was one time we were together (with Raila) – and you know right now there is a crisis in football. Right now, FKF elections should be taking place but there are problems everywhere. So many vested interests over there. They have ruined football in Kenya.

So there was a time I was with Raila in Naivasha and we left for Kisumu. And in the plane, I told him if he was elected, let us be banned for 10 years but he makes sure he sweeps – and right there he swore before God that the minute he was elected, he would let FIFA ban Kenya for five years but the entire system would be swept away so that by the time we are coming back, we head straight to the World Cup. He loves football. He is an easygoing person,” revealed Senator Sifuna.

Football in Kenya has been dogged with controversies and court battles for the past 10 years, thus affecting its development and talent among the youth.

In 2022, the world soccer governing body, FIFA, lifted a nine month ban it had placed on FKF following the reinstatement of the federations executive committee by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.

The ban was a result of the previous government interfering with FKF’s operations and appointing a caretaker committee in light of allegations of FKF’s misappropriation of funds.

As this issue was going on, FKF’s President Nick Mwendwa also faced critical scrutiny after being accused of embezzling millions from the Federation and interfering with FKF’s operations including the holding of elections. He was charged with economic crimes but later aquitted.

In February 2024, elections were set to take place following months of back and forth to have it held- but that did not happen.

Instead, the matter was taken to court and Lady Justice Olga Sewe stopped an Annual General Meeting that was set to take place on March 16, 2024, to tackle various issues regarding the federation, including the elections. In essence, the elections were also stopped.

As a result, on March 27, 2024, FIFA once again threatened to ban Kenya from international meets if FKF did not disregard the court order and proceed with the AGM. FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Kenny Jean-Marie, warned against involvement of regular courts in football affairs adding that the Court order amounted to undue influence by third parties.

“In this respect and first of all, we draw your attention to art. 69 of the FKF Statutes which expressly stipulates that ‘Disputes within the [FKF] or affecting leagues, members of leagues, clubs, members of clubs, players, officials and other [FKF] officials shall not be submitted to ordinary courts unless the FIFA regulations, [the FKF statutes] or binding legal provisions specifically provide for or stipulate recourse to ordinary courts.

The infringement of the aforementioned provisions of the FIFA and CAF Statutes may give rise to grounds for the suspension of FKF irrespective of whether the infringement was attributed to FKF or not,” read the statement from FIFA.

Mr Odinga lost in the 2022 presidential elections to President William Ruto.

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