‘He wanted everything’ - FKF president defends Mariga’s ouster as Kenyan legend fights back

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohammed has claimed that Harambee Stars legend McDonald Mariga wanted to control everything at the federation and that is why he had to oust him.

Mariga has been serving as FKF Vice President, since being elected alongside Mohammed in December 2024, but he was kicked out of the federation on Saturday, when delegates voted to expel him as well as six other National Executive Committee (NEC) members.

It was a dramatic day that saw Mariga arrive for the Special General Meeting accompanied by many officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit amid claims that goons had been planted to attack him and his ‘rebel’ NEC members.

The meeting lasted minutes before delegates overwhelmingly voted Mariga and the NEC members out and Mohammed now claims the former Kenyan midfielder was keen to oust him and take control of the federation.

“Mariga wanted to be the president and had the intention of pushing me aside. I don't regret what has happened to him," Mohammed told Daily Nation.

"He wanted to control the national teams, the leagues, management and even sponsorship. He wanted everything to revolve around him. I was elected president, and he was my deputy, so why would I allow that?

“Mariga travelled on almost all trips with the national teams, some of which I even financed from my own pocket,” he further claimed.

The FKF boss further asserts that his now ousted deputy wanted to serve in every committee and demanded a salary plus other perks that the federation could afford.

"He wanted to sit in every committee to serve his interests. Recently, he claimed he was not being paid a salary,” said Mohammed.

"But where was I supposed to get the money for his salary, bodyguards, office secretary and full-time driver he wanted? Was he coming to FKF for leadership or personal benefits?" he posed.

Mariga has, however, dismissed his removal, saying he is still the duly elected Vice President and that the process was flawed as he and his co-accused were not given an opportunity to be heard while 32 delegated allied to him were locked out of the meeting.

“We reject the purported dismissal of the seven NEC members and shall not recognize resolutions arising from proceedings conducted in breach of the FKF Constitution,” Mariga said through a statement on Monday.

“The affected NEC members remain in office, and their constitutional mandates cannot be extinguished through an unlawful process. We call upon FIFA, CAF and the Sports Registrar to urgently scrutinize the Meru proceedings, including delegate credentials, attendance, quorum and the purported voting process.

“We reserve the right to pursue all available constitutional remedies to challenge the purported resolutions."