Football Kenya Federation stare at Fifa wrath over third party woes
World governing body Fifa has warned Kenya that the country risks sanctions over third party inference of its football affairs.
In a terse statement signed by Fifa acting Chief Member Associations Officer Veron Mosengo-Omba and which was copied to Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the world body said it was concerned by a communiqué sent by the latter on the development.
“We refer to your letter dated 19 October 2019 by means of which you informed our services of alleged third party interference in the affairs of the FKF and more specifically its ongoing electoral process,” read the statement.
Fifa was particularly irked by the rejection of the electoral code by the antagonists and especially given that the FKF delegates unanimously embraced it during its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on October 5.
Approved unanimously
“In particular we note that a complaint has been recently filed by a local stakeholder against the FKF to the Sports Disputes Tribunal, seeking to annul the adoption of the electoral code and the nomination of the electoral board (first instance and the appeal level) both of which were, according to the official minutes you provided, approved unanimously by the FKF delegates present during the AGM on August 5.
Fifa observed that it was untenable and against its rules, for an individual to file litigation against FKF at the High Court in Nairobi. “In parallel, we also take note that an appeal has been lodged a few days ago by an individual against the FKF before the High Court in Nairobi, essentially with the same purpose,”
The concern by Fifa comes in the wake of an appeal filed by one George Mwaura seeking orders to stop the elections pencilled for December 7 until the issues are addressed.
The petitioner’s bone of contention is the composition of the Electoral Board members Edwin Wamukoya (chairman) and journalist Elynah Shiveka who sit on the Sports Dispute Tribunal, thus eliciting fears from the petitioner that they could have a conflict of interest in the electoral process.
In the statement, Fifa also outlined FKF statutes, which it said was, flouted hence the imminent sanctions that the country is facing.
