This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
June 9, 2020, marked a significant day for Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa as he faced a summons from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over the use of Sh244 million meant for the men's national football team's preparation for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
According to Mwendwa, his opponents are working behind the scenes to have him jailed, a move he believes is aimed at preventing him from being on the ballot in the upcoming FKF polls.
“Politics is about people’s opinion,” Mwendwa explained in an interview with Mulembe FM. “Please ask those who wish to vie to talk to the delegates and ask for votes. They do not have votes and that is why they want to see Nick Mwendwa arrested and put behind bars to stop me from being on the ballot. All these efforts to move to the tribunal are aimed at ensuring elections are held in my absence.”
Notably, Mwendwa has been facing numerous challenges, including cases filed at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) questioning his and the federation’s eligibility. The FKF polls have been cancelled twice in the past six months.
