There is nothing to smile about at the Football Kenya Federation as trouble hits paradise just 8 months since the current administration took over office at FKF.

Disturbing revelations that FKF President Hussein Mohammed and his deputy Macdonald Mariga have fallen out are nothing short of a blatant disregard of the FKF constitution. 

According to reports,  Mariga’s roles as vice president  have reportedly been taken over by Co-opted National Executive Committee member Abdalla Yusuf. This means that legend Macdonald Mariga has been secretly removed.

Gate collection questions are not needed as the office is filled up with cronies. Football in Kenya is now run like a personal business enterprise and further, Hussein has acquired a new office at the up market Karen area at a cost of Ksh 100,000 per month yet there football matters should be conducted from the federation official address at  Kandanda House in Kasarani. 

The current president and his team fresh were elected on fresh start euphoria. Led by Hussein and Mariga they promised to totally change how football is run based on accountability and professionalism. 

Prior to his election, Hussein paraded foreigners at a media conference announcing that the foreign nationals would be sponsors who gave a guarantee to pump money in Kenya football once they get elected – something that was a total sham because even those who cared to make a Google search on the foreigners names and companies resulted to nothing related to football or sports or even anything meaningful.

That was a con game that was meant to hood wink delegates as the foreigners were not potential sponsors but casino operators.

Secretly replacing Mariga with Yusuf in a plot to mis-manage funds at FKF with reports now emerging that top FKF officials Hussein and Yusuf operate like Cabinet secretaries instead of football officials.

The wastage of Resources is terrible and employment of cronies that understand nothing about football is said to be rampant as the federation is now run from Karen Eastleigh.

Things are clearly not rosy. For the first in many years, FKF Premier League and Mozzartbet cup winners received no winning awards yet the two competitions have sponsors.

Hussein’s excuse for FKF not giving cash awards to winners pointed fingers at the previous regime, a claim which does not hold water because sponsors always give money to the federation in installments until the league ends.

Mozzartbet Cup money was given to the federation at the start of the tournament and the money was enough even for prize awards but the federation under the leadership of Hussein misappropriated the money from the sponsors.

Mozzartbet disbursement of sponsorship money is done quarterly and Azam TV also releases money for FKF Premier League all with prize money for the winners. The big question is, what was the prize money used to do?

As the shadow vice president, more damning allegations say that Yusuf now walks with the CEO’s electronic signature. Further, while the President attends official FIFA and CAF functions in the company of the deputy president and the FKF General Secretary,  Mariga has been sidelined and Hussein now moves in the company of Yusuf and the General Secretary Harold Ndege.

According to alleged reports, Ndege was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer in a ploy to manipulate him.

Some people are also said to be allegedly sabotaging Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy. Some NEC members and individuals close to the FKF President also alleged to be calling players to join the national team while former coach Francis Kimanzi is alleged to be working towards the downfall.

Hussein has been accused of awarding his cronies to high offices in FKF. Athanas Oballa ‘Obango’, a long term coordinator of Hussein’s Extreme Sport tournament was appointed as the Head of Projects and National teams.

A powerful and demanding position like Head of Projects and National teams requires a manager. He is charged with running the various projects of the federation as well as planning all matters of the National teams. His team forms the advance party before any National team assignment, a job which is too demanding for Obango.

Harambee Stars pulled out of the four nations CECAFA tournament after the team had already arrived in Tanzania.  Close sources intimate that the Harambee Stars Coach McCarthy was unsatisfied with the facilities including hotel rooms with shattered windows and lack of a proper training ground. This is despite the fact that Obango had gone to Tanzania as the advance party but allegedly went without a checklist of the requirements.  His department has upto 10 knowledgeable staff but Obango went to Tanzania with a security person who is a popular political rallies bouncer. 

 For a leadership that came to office full of promises to raise football in Kenya, the Hussein led administration remains in deep slumber.  The federation has not secured any new sponsors apart from those inherited from the previous regime.

Referees have been crying foul over unpaid allowances.  Harambee stars and Harambee starlets players have not been receiving their allowances, something which led to starlets failing to win the CECAFA cup since some star starlets players refused to join the team.

Hussein has no other job and his sole responsibility is leadership of the federation. His Extreme sports is yet another company benefiting from football while eyebrows have been raised on the awarding of a tender to Motogari which was awarded a tender for transport logistics for CHAN.

FKF looked the other side as one important group of the upcoming CHAN tournament was moved from Kenya to Zanzibar despite earlier plans by CAF to have Kenya host two groups of the tournament.  This has irked government officials both at the ministry of sports and the ministry of interior which are jointly working with FKF in hosting the tournament.