McDonald Mariga, former Kenyan international footballer and ex-Inter Milan player, has disputed his expulsion as Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice president, along with six other National Executive Committee (NEC) members. Mariga termed the ouster as illegal, insisting they remained members of the federation. He released a statement on Sunday evening, arguing that the FKF Special General Meeting (SGM) held in Meru on Saturday did not follow the right procedure.
The six NEC members expelled alongside Mariga are Kerubo Momanyi, Gabriel Mghendi, Dan Shikanda, Collins Opiyo Kalee, Robert Macharia, and Bernard Lagat. Mariga claimed that their ouster aimed to silence them from continuing their fight against corruption within the federation. He stated that the Meru proceedings disregarded Fifa's guidance on respecting the right to be heard, which is fundamental to the legitimacy of decisions taken by FKF's governing organs.
Mariga noted that Article 41 (4) and (5) of the FKF Constitution guarantees the right to be heard before being condemned or sanctioned, but they were not accorded this opportunity. Fifa's May intervention in the FKF leadership wrangles emphasized the importance of respecting this right. Mariga and 32 duly accredited delegates were denied access to the SGM's venue on Saturday, raising concerns about collusion involving sections of FKF leadership.
During the SGM, FKF president Hussein Mohammed said the dissenting members did not give their submissions despite being invited to do so. The expelled members faced allegations, including purporting to unlawfully remove the FKF president and acting General Secretary from office, failing to attend NEC meetings, and taking football-related disputes to ordinary courts.
Mariga argued that the SGM erred in resolving to expel them through acclamation, not a secret ballot as stipulated by Article 41 (5) of the FKF Constitution. He emphasized that a resolution reached through acclamation cannot substitute for the secret ballot required by the Constitution. Mariga also cited the exclusion of 32 legitimate Congress delegates and evidence of impersonation and unauthorized representation.
The FKF Constitution states that a motion for dismissal must be decided by means of a secret ballot, requiring a majority of two-thirds of valid votes. Mariga questioned the legitimacy of the proceedings, given the procedural irregularities. He maintained that the expulsion was intended to silence elected leaders who championed accountability, transparency, and good governance within FKF.
Mariga and the expelled NEC members are yet to respond to the allegations formally. The FKF leadership wrangles have been ongoing, with Fifa intervening in May to emphasize the importance of respecting the right to be heard. The situation remains unresolved, with Mariga and the expelled members insisting on their legitimacy as FKF officials.
Key points
- McDonald Mariga disputes FKF's decision to expel him and six others, citing failure to follow proper procedure.
- Mariga claims the expulsion aimed to silence him and others from fighting corruption within the federation.
- The expulsion was done through acclamation, not a secret ballot, as required by the FKF Constitution.
