NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 28 – Despite reports that there was a fallout between the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Hussein Mohamed and his deputy McDonald Mariga, President William Ruto has come out in their defence.
Ruto speaking on Thursday while hosting the Harambee Stars Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) squad for a luncheon at State House, the head of state exuded belief in their administration to steer Kenyan football to glory.
Earlier this week, on Monday, Hussein downplayed any rift, insisting that relations within the federation remain cordial, explaining that each official has well-defined responsibilities under the FKF constitution and statutes.
Hussein stressed that while he has no personal issues, Mariga, as vice president, is best placed to clarify his own position.
“The concerns that we have had in the past is the governance around FKF. I can now tell the country that we have confidence. I know the current president very well, and I know my good friend Mariga very well. These two gentlemen are people of integrity, people of honor,” Ruto said.
“If they ever mess up, please report them to me. I know what to do with them. But I know they will not,” Ruto added
Meanwhile, Ruto appealed to corporates to come on board and partner with FKF in building the game ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations that Kenya is co-hosting alongside neighbors Tanzania and Uganda.
To create an organized partnership framework, the President said he would convene a meeting next week bringing together FKF, the Sports Ministry, and corporate sponsors to align contributions.
“We want corporates to know where they can plug in, in an organized manner, so that we support the whole ecosystem from the bottom, as other countries have done,” Ruto stated.
The Head of State assured that the government would commit public resources to football but stressed that long-term success requires collective effort.
