Nick Kithuku Mwendwa, the President of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), stands accused of causing harm to the sport. Various parties have made these accusations.
They allege that Mwendwa’s actions or decisions have negatively impacted football in Kenya. The nature and specifics of the harm caused are not clear from this statement alone.
The accusations imply that Mwendwa could be accountable for some of the issues affecting sports in the country.
It remains unclear how officials will handle the allegations against Mwendwa and whether they will impact his role as FKF President. Mwendwa was responsible for promoting football in Kenya.
Recently, Mwendwa suspended two major clubs, Zoo Kericho FC and Mathare United from the Kenya Premiere League.
The suspension was due to their refusal to endorse broadcast rights that FKF had signed with a pay TV. These clubs claimed that the contract was violating their intellectual property.
Despite their objections, Mwendwa insisted that FKF’s decision was final.
During his first term, Mwendwa faced numerous legal cases at the Sports Dispute Tribunal because of his divisive leadership.
Instead of focusing on building Kenyan soccer, he spent most of his time fighting legal battles after rubbing his opponents the wrong way.
How Nick Kithuku Mwendwa Works
Nick preferred working with like-minded and grateful people who appreciated leftovers.
When he became the leader, he selected an unknown coach, Stanley Okumbi, to manage the national football team, Harambee Stars.
Despite Okumbi winning only one game out of 16, Nick was adamant about keeping him in the position. Later, Williamson replaced Okumbi but struggled to produce good results.
In the 2019 AFCON tournament, Harambee Stars were unable to proceed beyond the group stages.
Mwendwa’s failure to account for the team’s allocation of Sh240 million caused FKF to lose money.
They had paid Sh130 million to a supplier for an outside broadcasting van, which went bankrupt.
Mwendwa expected clubs to follow rules and regulations without disclosing details of deals with broadcast partners Startimes and BetKing.
The Betking deal is worth Sh1.2 billion and spans over five years. The broadcasting deal, on the other hand, has a yearly value of Sh110 million and stretches for seven years.
Gor Mahia and other KPL clubs decline to endorse Mwendwa’s broadcasting deal before knowing its finer details.
According to Mwendwa, the federation owns the collective rights of leagues and competitions, and all clubs must adhere to his decisions.
He allegedly influenced sports journalists in Githeri Media, contributing to the decline of Kenyan football by amplifying nonsense in echo chambers.
