Aduda calls for proper judicial bodies amid FKF leadership wrangles

Former Football Kenya Federation Secretary General Lordvick Aduda raised fresh concerns over the state of governance in Kenyan football, warning that the FKF Premier League cannot operate effectively without properly constituted judicial institutions to handle disciplinary and competition disputes.

Speaking on Citizen TV, Aduda questioned how the league can be run when key bodies responsible for resolving football disputes are either not fully constituted or their legitimacy is being challenged.

He pointed particularly to the Disciplinary and Appeals Committees, arguing that clubs, players, and other stakeholders need independent and properly constituted institutions where they can seek redress whenever disputes arise.

“Most importantly is the fact that we have started a season without the judicial bodies in place at the moment. Now, that will definitely, if we are not careful, take us back to where we have been.

“Because in the absence of an internal dispute resolution mechanism, will you leave it for the stakeholders if there are issues?” Aduda observed.

His concerns come against the backdrop of a Sports Disputes Tribunal ruling that questioned the constitution and authority of FKF's judicial structures.

The Tribunal previously found that the FKF Disciplinary Committee, as constituted, was invalid and directed the federation to regularize its judicial bodies in accordance with the FKF Constitution. 

For Aduda, the problem goes beyond individual cases. He argued that the absence of functioning judicial institutions creates uncertainty over the validity of decisions affecting clubs, players, and the league itself.

He further weighed in on the FKF National Executive Committee ahead of their meeting scheduled for Wednesday and the agendas slated, including league competitions and the federation's judicial bodies, alongside other governance matters.

“I would forget about the majority of those agendas and deal with precisely four. Deal with the agenda touching on the commencement of the league, deal with the agenda of the judicial bodies, and deal with the issue of the GS, because currently the Federation is operating without a substantive General Secretary, which is a real governance breach. 

Instead of an agenda there about the AGM, I would replace that AGM with a special general meeting such that once they come up with names for members of the judicial bodies, they can immediately convene a special general meeting so that that general meeting can give approval to the members of the judicial bodies so that we can kick-start the season. All those other agendas are not as important as what we are talking about,” Aduda added.

Despite the difficulties, Aduda remains optimistic that the league can still be salvaged. His message is that the current crisis can be addressed if FKF leadership returns to the federation's constitutional framework, restores properly constituted judicial bodies, and allows the NEC to exercise its mandate collectively.