By GPC Sports Desk
Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Sam Nyamweya has called on FIFA and the Ministry of Sports to institute a Normalisation Committee to take over the running of football in Kenya following the abandonment of the FKF Premier League play-off between Kariobangi Sharks and Mombasa United.
Nyamweya said the abandoned match exposed what he described as deep-seated problems in the management of Kenyan football, including conflicting regulations, delayed decision-making and the absence of an independent judicial mechanism to resolve disputes.
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In a statement issued on Wednesday, Nyamweya said he watched Tuesday’s play-off with disappointment, arguing that a fixture intended to determine promotion to the Premier League had instead exposed weaknesses in the administration of the game.
“What should have been a celebration of sporting merit to determine promotion to the Premier League turned into an exhibition of confusion and illegality,” Nyamweya said.
He questioned the decision to stage the play-off, arguing that different FKF regulations appeared to give conflicting positions on which club was entitled to qualify.
“Vide the 2025 FKF Regulations, Mombasa United were entitled to qualify. Vide the 2019 Regulations, Kariobangi Sharks had legitimate grounds to complain,” he said.
“You cannot have two conflicting sets of rules governing one competition. That alone renders the fixture illegal.”
The former FKF president also criticised the handling of the abandoned match, saying the fixture had not produced an official result and that the federation lacked a properly constituted and independent judicial body to determine the dispute.
“The play-off did not end. The game was abandoned. To date, there is no official result,” he said.
Nyamweya warned that continued disputes and decisions made without clear adherence to FKF statutes and international football principles could trigger further legal challenges.
He also raised concern over the delayed start of the 2026/27 season, saying clubs were facing mounting financial pressure while players and coaches remained without competitive football.
“Six weeks down the line, the 2026/27 season is yet to kick off. Clubs are bleeding financially, players are idle, coaches are frustrated, and fans are losing faith,” he said.
Avoid total collapse
Nyamweya said he supported calls already made in Parliament for intervention in the management of Kenyan football.
“To save Kenyan football from total collapse, I call upon FIFA and the Ministry of Sports to immediately institute a Normalisation Committee to take over the running of football in Kenya,” he said.
He said such an intervention should be used to reform the federation’s electoral and judicial structures and restore confidence in the administration of the sport.
Nyamweya, however, praised the government for investing in sports infrastructure and supporting Kenya’s efforts to host major international competitions.
“I must state that the Government has created the best environment for sports to thrive,” he said, citing President William Ruto’s support for stadium construction and efforts to ensure Kenya hosts the Africa Cup of Nations next year.
He nevertheless warned that administrative problems within football could undermine those gains and expose Kenya to embarrassment as an international sporting host.
“The time to act is now,” Nyamweya said.
