Chaos broke out at Three Steers Hotel in Meru on Saturday as police attempted to restore order at the venue of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Special General Meeting (SGM). The meeting, scheduled to start at 9:00 am, was delayed due to a tense standoff between security officers and individuals who had taken over parts of the premises. Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) officers entered the hotel to secure the area and facilitate access for accredited delegates.
Hundreds of youths had gathered at the hotel before the security operation began, and a video circulating online showed dramatic scenes as FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga arrived at the venue in a police van. Heavily armed police officers intervened, chasing away a man dressed in a blue suit who appeared to confront Mariga, and escorting him into the building. Teargas was also lobbed at the hotel's main entrance as police tried to disperse the crowd.
The FKF Special General Meeting is yet to commence following the incident involving RDU officers, who discharged teargas into the meeting venue as delegates waited for the start of proceedings. There were reports of individuals occupying different rooms within the hotel, with security officers removing them from the premises. The tense situation left some delegates struggling to access the meeting, raising concerns over whether all duly accredited members would be able to participate.
The unrest came a day after a physical confrontation was reported in Meru involving an FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) member and two branch chairmen. The two chairmen had visited the venue to assess preparations for the SGM when they were confronted by a group said to have been brought in from Nairobi. The confrontation allegedly turned physical, leaving several people injured.
The latest developments have cast uncertainty over the proceedings of the SGM, which is expected to determine the fate of several NEC members amid the federation's prolonged leadership dispute. FIFA and other football stakeholders are represented at the gathering as observers, with FKF confirming that representatives from FIFA, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the government would attend.
A proposal to consider the conduct of seven NEC members, including FKF Deputy President McDonald Mariga, is at the centre of the meeting. A two-thirds majority of delegates present is required to remove an NEC member. However, before delegates can deliberate on the agenda, security at Three Steers Hotel remains a concern, and the meeting cannot proceed normally until accredited representatives can access the venue and order is restored.
The SGM takes place against the backdrop of a deeply divided federation, following the increasingly frosty relationship between president Hussein Mohammed and his deputy Mariga. The year-long rift has affected the operations of Kandanda House and the running of the game, with its consequences potentially spilling over into Kenya's preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
Key points
- The FKF Special General Meeting was delayed due to a tense standoff between security officers and individuals who had taken over parts of the premises.
- The meeting is expected to determine the fate of several NEC members amid the federation's prolonged leadership dispute.
- A two-thirds majority of delegates present is required to remove an NEC member.
