There is mischief afoot in Kenya Football

By Elias Musuva

Just when Kenyan's were looking forward to a return to normalcy following a successful run by the national team and a relatively successful local league, fans were yet again jarred and in effect disappointed by some mischievous shenanigans carried out by three primaries: Mohammed Hatimy, Titus Kasuve and Erastus Okul, aided and abetted by Bob Munro and some FIFA officials including Ashford Mamelodi who are either ill informed or have been co-opted into this mischief. These are serious allegations which if untrue then this website as well as other Kenyans would gladly like to hear from the aforementioned because to most Kenyans, their moves appear driven by greed.

As of November 2008, the KFF has been dissolved and replaced by Football Kenya Limited (FKL), a private company whose directors are the trio of Mohammed Hatimy, Titus Kasuve and Erastus Okul. There are several things wrong with this current scenario. To begin with, messrs Kasuve and Hatimy are the most useless officials KFF has ever seen. The duo have done absolutely nothing since they became the KFF leaders. They claimed they could not raise any money to run the national team. Youth football is non-existent and women's football is as good as dead. Were it not for the KPL, the national team would not have participated in the 2010 world cup qualifiers. Even now as the second phase of the qualifiers approach, these clowns seem to have developed a "don't care" attitude, leaving the national team with no preparations.

Hatimy, Kasuve and their enablers have selfishly usurped the game.

KFF elections were due in December 2008 per the current constitution. Kenyans were looking forward to ushering in a new team and ridding itself of these fellows who seem incapable of doing anything.  Yet Hatimy and Kasuve somehow managed to connive their way back into office and with the aid of FIFA, have given themselves another 18 months. So Kenyans will have to wait another 18 months and put up with this mediocre duo. There is no telling whether there will even be elections after 18 months because they may somehow find a way to connive their way back into office with the able assistance of Mr. Mamelodi. Neither Kasuve nor Hatimy have ever won any elections. They were somehow installed through back door machinations and the only people who know how it happened are Bob Munro and FIFA. The incompetence of the Hatimy led KFF has been addressed in another article which you can find here so this article will not dwell on them. Worse still, Hatimy and Kasuve as directors of FKL may be able to somehow install themselves in power indefinitely without ever having to run for elections.

FIFA gives the KFF US$250,000 which translates to Ksh 20 million every year. KFF is never called upon to account for this money. To many, this seems like a vote buying bribe from FIFA. To many FIFA seem actively engaged in corruption. And how is it that the KFF perpetually claims to be broke even to the point where Harambee stars participation in continental events is in doubt ? Where does all this money go ? No wonder Kasuve's girth seems to be widening by the day while the players whose sweat, blood and tears are consumed to earn this money, continue to live in absolute squalor. And with the world cup coming to SA in 2010, one can only imagine that the likes of Kasuve are literally salivating over a once in a lifetime opportunity to cash in.

The secrecy that shrouded the formation of the FKL is in itself disturbing. Reports suggest that Mr. Munro created the FKL constitution back in May and has kept it in his back pocket only to surprise Kenyans in November. If FKL is the best way to go, then why was this never discussed with all stakeholders : the clubs, the government, former players, current players, media, and the public. Why has it been so shrouded in secrecy ? Matters involving the future of Kenya football should not be decided by 3 or 4 people each of whom has selfish vested interests.

If FIFA truly feels that FKL is the way to go then choosing Hatimy and Kasuve beggars belief. Hatimy was the Vice chairman under Maina Kariuki, possibly the worst KFF chairman ever. A man who looted the KFF treasury with impunity never before seen. Local football has never been the same since the dark days of Maina Kariuki because every subsequent chairman has sought to use the office to enrich himself. Neither he nor Kasuve has ever done anything positive for Kenya. One can't help but wonder why FIFA continues to favor these two. Perhaps Mr. Munro can tell us.

It is with this in mind that Kenya football desperately needed a new constitution, perhaps more than anything else to stem the abuse of office. One that ensures that KFF officials account for every cent. One that ensures that every official has a long term plan against  which he is measured. Hatimy fought so hard to become KFF chairman and all the while he never told Kenyans why he so desperately wanted to be KFF chairman. No one should be allowed to run for office without a well thought out manifesto. So why FIFA did not pursue the creation of a new constitution defies belief. When questioned, Mr. Mamelodi, the FIFA rep said that creating a new company was the better way to ensure transparency. What a joke that is. The names Kasuve and Hatimy should nevefr be used in the same sentence as the word transparency. No wonder Kenyans have completely lost faith in FIFA.

 

Mr Mamelodi is either ill informed or has been co-opted into KFF corruption.

The Kenya government called itself shocked and perturbed by the recent events. But they , especially Dr. Hellen Sambili, the sports minister have themselves to blame for being caught napping. For months now, Kenyans have called on Dr. Sambili to actively engage FIFA in conversations regarding the future of the sport. It would not have hurt for Ms Sambili and her team to draw up a long term plan for the sport and then paid a courtesy call on top FIFA officials such as Blatter and Champagne in order to secure their support in rebuilding the sport. Instead theKenya sports ministry fell asleep and was beaten to the punch yet again by the devious Hatimy, Kasuve and Munro. In fact Dr. Sambili has been in office now for 11 months and has done absolutely nothing besides tepidly fighting a few fires. Kenyans are still waiting for the much spoken about sports policy which has been overdue for at least 3 years now. No one knows what her vision for football is aside from a few vagaries about the inter-constituency cup.

Still all is not lost. Dr. Sambili can still redeem the situation by fighting this travesty. She should enlist the help of current and former players, perhaps the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, and other prominent sporting personalities, seek an audience with Mr. Sepp Blatter, inform him that Mr. Mamelodi is ill informed and present a short term plan and long term plan and seek to restore normalcy in the local game. One that involves a new constitution.

The fact that Sambili and her team still think that Mr. Nyamweya is a suitable substitute to Hatimy shows that she too has been ill informed. Nyamweya and his shenanigans are documented in another article that can be found here.

The most important issue is for Dr Sambili not to take an antagonistic stance against FIFA. It is imperative that she discusses these issues at length with FIFA and gets them to buy into her vision for football. FIFA will penalize Kenya only if they are not consulted. We ask Dr. Sambili not to make the same mistake that Hon Kamanda made. Simply refusing to recognize FKL is counterproductive because it will only lead to Kenya being suspended and as we know, Mohammed Hatimy does not mind seeing Kenya suspended if that is what it takes for him to cling to his chairmanship.