Inside the FKF elections: A battle for Kenyan football’s soul

By Robert Mutasi 

The air is full of expectations as Football Kenya Federation gets ready for its presidential elections.

Coming December 7, 2024, the election is more about a change of guard; it is a referendum on the future of Kenyan football.

At the eye of this storm are familiar faces, each with a story, a dream, and scars of battles fought.

I walk into Nairobi's Kempinski Hotel, where Hussein Mohamed throws his hat into the ring, and the air is an instant mix of ambition and nostalgia.

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee hangs in the air; this certainly feels very different from the sharp, focused electricity of energy in the room.

In attendance are some high-profile guests: former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama, whose presence lends weight to Mohamed's candidature.

Hussein is a known face, having led Extreme Sports as the chief executive officer and the driving force behind the Super 8 tournament. He has allied himself with retired football star MacDonald Mariga in a quest to upset the leadership of the federation.

Hussein's voice rises above the din as he speaks with passion about giving Kenyan football "a fresh start," a mantra that has become synonymous with the campaign.

It's a message echoed by Wanyama, who supports the duo with an assuring declaration that they are the ones who can restore Kenyan football to glory days.

The partnership of Hussein and Mariga is more than symbolic; it symbolizes their shared football heritage and a dream of the future where local players can be supported to make it big.

I force my way through the crowd; the palpable excitement in the air for this new leadership is tartly offset by murmurs of doubt. Not everyone is convinced.

Long shadows are cast from Nick Mwendwa, current FKF President, who casts a long shadow. Eight years into his service, Mwendwa's office has been accused of mismanagement, but he cannot be undone.

This time, he is running as the deputy to Doris Petra, his long-serving vice president, despite having served the maximum term limit.

Perhaps one of the major talking points of this election is Petra's bid for presidency.

Not only will she be making history by becoming the first woman to contest the FKF presidency, but she is also shattering deep-set stereotypes.

A light sprinkle hit the windowpanes as Petra climbed onto the stage at this year's event with fire in her eyes.

"This isn't about soccer," she says. "This is about fairness, making it fair for all players, no matter where they are from."

The people supporting Petra nodded in agreement as her words struck home for many who were disillusioned with how the sport was run.

While the running mate, Mwendwa, looks aside probably with a bearing on the legacy they have shared, needing to change course.

While the teams of Petra and Hussein lead in this charge, other candidates bring their own visions to the table. Businessman Cleophas Shimanyula, deep-rooted in local football, promises to give the league a new face.

For too long, talented players have been overlooked because of politics," he says, standing tall at a campaign event in Kakamega. 

His running mate Twaha Mbarak nods in agreement as both men promise to root out favouritism from the national team selection.

Perhaps most nostalgic figure in this race, though, is Sam Nyamweya. A former president of the FKF, Nyamweya represents a throwback to another era.

His candidature, however, is not a nostalgia trip. Teamed up with him is Patricia Mutheu, an ardent lobbyist for grassroots football, who speaks fervently in support of the need for transparency and accountability in the FKF. 

"Football is for the people," Mutheu roars to the fully-packed hall in Machakos. "We must take it back to them."

As I exit the event space, the soft rustling of campaign banners in the wind somehow feels like an apt metaphor for this race.

The banners, like the candidates, flutter with possibility, yet are tethered by the weight of past mistakes and future promises.

Each one of these candidates-from Hussein to Petra, Nyamweya to Shimanyula-knows that this election goes beyond a question of leadership. 

It is about rescuing Kenyan football from the edge of irrelevance, rebuilding the infrastructures, and restoring faith among fans, players, and sponsors alike.

To many, December 7 will not only be a day to cast their vote but an opportunity to vote for Kenyan football to sink further or rise anew, steered by fresh hands or guided by experienced ones.

The clinking of glasses faded away as I walked out into the cool Nairobi evening, but the words from the campaign promises still hung in the air-a reminder of this monumental choice.