Ex-Football Stars Mariga, Shikanda Expelled by FKF Congress
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) General Assembly has resolved to expel seven members of its National Executive Committee (NEC), including Vice-President McDonald Mariga Wanyama, following a Special General Meeting held in Meru on Saturday.
In a statement dated November 7, the federation said the decision followed deliberations on allegations of violations of the FKF Constitution.
Those expelled include Mariga, Central NEC Member Robert Kenneth Macharia, Upper Rift Valley NEC Member Bernard Korir Lagat, FKF Women Representative Violet Kerubo Momanyi, Nyanza NEC Member Collins Opiyo Kalee, Coast NEC Member Gabriel Mghendi and Nairobi NEC Member Daniel Akala Shikanda.
In their absentia after being barred from accessing the Special General Meeting (SGM) venue at a Meru town hotel, Mariga, Macharia and Mghendi were voted out with a majority 65 votes each, out of the 66 delegates who were present.
Kerubo, Lagat and Kalle were expelled with a majority vote of 64 each.
The General Assembly said the matters considered included a purported NEC resolution dated April 24, 2026, seeking the removal of the FKF President and other federation officials.
However, shortly after the SGM, Mariga, flanked by several delagates at a nearby hotel, claimed that some of the voters were not bonafide representatives of clubs and branches.
AFC Leopards president Boniface Ambani voted against their removal, and was quick to announce to the Congress that he believed there was still room for discussions to resolve the differences that have been rocking the federation for over the past one year amicably.
Mariga and his fellow expelled members were accused of gross misconduct, which was cited to hinder decision making at the FKF National Commitee, among other charges.
The SGM started slightly past noon after chaos that stopped its commencement at 9:00am, and lasted just under 45 minutes with the vote taking place soon after the charges had been read.
In the morning, Mariga arrived at the venue guarded heavily by the RDU Police wing, amid tension with allegations of goons presence outside the venue.
Shortly after his entry into the auditorium, chaos errupted and police lobbed teargas in an attempt to take charge, forcing everyone out.
During the incident, officers from the Police Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) moved into the venue and discharged tear gas into the meeting room where delegates were seated, awaiting the start of proceedings.
Mariga would later be escorted outside the hotel, paving way for the meeting to kick-off after re-arrangemet of the venue following the previous pandemonium.
Soon after the meeting started, Mariga and a number of delegates and NEC members returned at the hotel's gate, but would not be allowed to access the venue by guards.
FIFA and CAF observers were present, and a communication from the global and African football federations is expected in due course.