FKF boss dismisses Mariga ouster, says focus on successful 2024 CHAN

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed has come out to dismiss reports that the elected office has replaced vice-president Macdonald Mariga with NEC member Abdalla Yusuf.

The reports emerged following the withdrawal of Harambee Stars from the CECAFA Four Nations tournament currently going on in Arusha, Tanzania. The team was pulled out by FKF, who cited unsuitable conditions for the team’s participation and overall preparations ahead of the CHAN tournament that they will co-host alongside Uganda, and Tanzania.

In a statement, Mohammed said: “Kindly disregard misinformation circulating on social media. FKF is an institution guided by its constitution which we strictly adhere to.  Our focus remains on delivering a successful CHAN 2024 and raising the standards of Kenyan football.”

The unverified statement claiming Mariga’s ouster read in part: “Abdalla Yusuf, and NEC member, is the new FKF Vice President after Legend Macdonald Mariga was secretly removed. The target is Benni McCarthy; they want to remove him by sabotage. KENYA football is in for a rough ride.”

The viral post, which sparked the allegations, alleged that the move was part of a broader internal power struggle to eventually force out head coach Benni McCarthy.