A joint delegation from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to visit Kenya after June 18, 2026, in a major effort to resolve the ongoing leadership crisis within the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
The intervention comes after months of internal wrangles, disputed suspensions, governance concerns, and allegations of financial mismanagement that have plunged Kenyan football into uncertainty and attracted the attention of international football authorities.
In a directive issued on June 2, FIFA effectively froze major governance activities within FKF, ordering rival factions to suspend political maneuvering until a fact-finding mission by FIFA and CAF is completed.
The world football governing body instructed members of the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) to refrain from holding meetings or making decisions that could affect the federation’s leadership and governance structures.
“In light of the above, and in the interest of safeguarding institutional stability, we kindly but firmly request that the members of the FKF National Executive Committee refrain, in the meantime, from convening further meetings or taking decisions that may have an impact on the governance, leadership or overall stability of the federation until the FIFA/CAF mission has taken place and the relevant discussions have been held,” FIFA said in its communication to FKF.
The directive effectively halts any planned NEC meetings, including discussions around a proposed Special General Meeting (SGM), while preserving the current leadership structure until FIFA and CAF complete their review.
FIFA further confirmed that it is coordinating with CAF to organize a joint mission to Kenya aimed at obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
“In this context, and further to our recent exchanges, we would like to reiterate that FIFA, in coordination with CAF, is currently in the process of organising a joint mission to Kenya,” FIFA stated.
“The purpose of this visit will be to engage directly with the members of the FKF National Executive Committee and to discuss in detail the current situation, with a view to obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the matters at hand and providing appropriate guidance.”
The upcoming mission is expected to examine the legality of decisions taken by rival factions within FKF and recommend a path toward restoring stability in Kenyan football administration.
The crisis reached a boiling point on April 24 when a faction of nine NEC members led by FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga voted to suspend FKF President Hussein Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer Dennis Gicheru, and NEC member Abdullahi Yusuf Ibrahim.
The officials were accused of involvement in alleged financial irregularities surrounding Sh42.4 million reportedly linked to insurance procurement for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The faction argued that investigations were necessary and sought to have the officials step aside pending inquiries.
However, President Mohammed rejected the allegations and denied any wrongdoing.
He maintained that CAF directly handled insurance arrangements for the tournament and insisted that the accusations lacked factual basis.
The matter eventually attracted FIFA’s attention, prompting the governing body to request documentation explaining how the suspensions were carried out and whether constitutional procedures had been followed.
After reviewing the information provided, FIFA concluded that the move against Mohammed and his allies failed to meet the requirements outlined in the FKF Constitution.
In a decision communicated on May 25, FIFA rejected the suspensions and declared them unconstitutional.
The governing body argued that the actions violated Article 41 of the FKF Statutes because due process had not been observed and the affected officials had not been afforded a proper hearing before disciplinary action was taken.
By overturning the suspensions, FIFA effectively reinstated the affected officials and restored the status quo pending further review.
The decision also underscored FIFA’s long-standing position that football federations must strictly adhere to their constitutions and internal governance mechanisms when handling disputes involving elected officials.
The stakes surrounding the crisis extend far beyond FKF’s boardroom politics.
The situation has also revived memories of Kenya’s suspension from international football in 2022.
At the time, FIFA banned the country from global football activities after the government disbanded the FKF executive committee and appointed a caretaker committee to run the sport.
The suspension lasted nearly a year before being lifted following the restoration of federation structures recognized by FIFA.
The delegation is expected to meet key stakeholders, including NEC members, federation officials, and other football administrators, as it gathers information on the dispute.
