‘FKF leadership will mess up Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy in sports development’ – Nyamweya

Former Football Kenya Federation president Sam Nyamweya has called on the current regime under President Uhuru Kenyatta to move in with speed and help the dwindling fortunes of Kenyan football.

In a statement signed by the former FKF boss and obtained by Goal, Nyamweya has blamed the Ministry of Sports for taking a back seat and letting the federation run down the number one sport in the country under Nick Mwendwa's leadership.

Nyamweya believes should the Ministry of Sports fail to intervene, then Kenyan football lovers will never forgive President Kenyatta’s regime for their “negligence to bring order in our game.”

What did Nyamweya say?

For the last six years, our football has been on a downslide due to poor management, from our flight league to the national team, nothing has been going right,” read part of the statement from Nyamweya.

“Having served as Secretary-General of the Kenya Football Federation between 1996-2000 and also as President in 2013-2016, I feel saddened by the current state of affairs in our game.

“It is even more saddening that there is little [if any] interest from the Government to sort the situation. The Jubilee Government term comes to an end in August next year, but one area that His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has been failed by his appointees is football.

“My successor Nick [Mwendwa] came with so many promises, with support from some top officials in Government, Mwendwa was elected in an election process that I opted out for the good of the game.

“But while I do not regret stepping down, I feel sad that the regime under Mwendwa has plundered the game yet those tasked to bring sanity have done little.”

Nyamweya feels under the regime of Mwendwa, Kenya has lost a lot including sponsorship.

'Our national team has become laughing stock'

“Under Mwendwa, the sponsorships and partnerships I initiated have gone and the local league is now run like a village tournament,” Nyamweya continued.

“Worst still, the national team which is representative of the nation has become a laughing stock more so after the recent appointment of a nondescript coach to manage the team for two months.

“Kenyan soccer lovers will never forgive the Kenyatta regime if it does not bring order in our game. Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario failed, but current CS Amina Mohamed has tried to salvage the game by bringing order. 

“And it is not just football that is crying, our cricket and rugby are on their knees too due to lack of proper support by those in charge at the ministry.

“We saw how Mwangi [Muthee] was hounded out of the Kenya Rugby Union despite playing a big role to professionalism the game. Jackie Jan Mohammed was also never given time to initiate her plans for cricket and was too frustrated out of Cricket Kenya.

“On behalf of the millions of Kenyans who love football and tens of thousands who play the game, I am challenging the CS Mohamed to come and save the game.

“If there is one legacy President Kenyatta will leave for our football, it will be to bring sanity in the game and that sanity will not come under Mwendwa.”