Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice-President MacDonald Mariga has been removed from his position as Vice-President and as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) following a 65-1 vote at the FKF Special General Meeting in Meru.
Apart from Mariga, others suspended are Robert Macharia (Central Kenya), Gabriel Mugendi (Coast), Caleb Collins (Nyanza), Bernard Lagat (Lower Rift), Violet Kirubo (Women rep), Dan Shikanda NEC Nairobi.
Members present voted the aforementioned out with 65 votes out of 66 votes cast. Further disciplinary actions are expected to be taken upon the named individuals.
Only AFC Leopards chairman Boniface Ambani voted against expelling Mariga, who in 2010, became the first Kenyan footballer to play in and win the UEFA Champions League for Inter Milan.
The seven faced several allegations, including an alleged attempt to unlawfully remove FKF President Hussein Mohammed and Acting Secretary General Dennis Gicheru from office.
In a statement later issued by FKF, the federation alleged that the seven officials had repeatedly failed to attend duly convened NEC meetings, engaged in unauthorised communication on behalf of the federation and undertaken actions that allegedly violated the FKF Constitution and applicable football regulations.
‘None of them did’
Speaking during the SGM which was marred by chaos and was disrupted on two occasions, FKF boss Mohammed said: “Just for the record, all the seven members of NEC, who the Congress has taken action on, were invited to give submissions. None of them did.
“They never responded in writing. They never sent a representative. They were asked to even nominate a legal representative, but they never did.”
Police Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) officers escorted Mariga as he arrived at Three Steers hotel in Meru. The meeting was later disrupted after teargas was discharged into the meeting room where delegates were seated.
Mariga had first led the nine out of fourteen members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to pass a formal resolution calling for top federation officials to step aside over the alleged Ksh 42 million CHAN funds scandal.
The nine members signed the resolution directing FKF boss Hussein Mohammed, NEC member Abdullahi Yussuf Ibrahim and Acting General Secretary Dennis Gicheru to vacate office temporarily to pave way for investigations into alleged financial impropriety and procurement breaches.
Speaking afterwards, Mariga said he will not surrender from his quest to reclaim his position while terming the meeting that suspended him as ‘illegal and lacking quorum.”
The meeting was graced by FIFA and CAF officials, among them Bruno Comicholi (Senior Member Associations Governance Service Manager), David Ndayisenga ( FIFA Regional Lead Kigali) and Nnaemeka A Olu (CAF Legal Manager).
A day before the SGM, FKF NEC member Abdallah Yusuf was rushed to hospital after allegedly being attacked by Trans Nzoia FKF Chairman Isaac Munene in Meru.
Mariga started his playing career at Ulinzi Stars before moving first to Tusker and then to Kenya Pipeline while still at school.
He was a member of the Kamukunji High School ‘Golden Boys’, which also included Kenyan legendary striker Dennis Oliech (Auxerre, France), who won two consecutive National Championships in 2002 and 2003.
The central midfielder went to Sweden in 2005 to play for third-division side Enkopings SK. After only one season at ESK, he signed for Helsingborgs IF before the 2006 season. His success at Helsingborgs was immediate.
Following initial interest from Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, Mariga looked set to sign for the Premier League team, but work permit issues held up the deal which was supposed to have cost around €2.7 million.
