Coast region football stakeholders wary of piling conflicts

Several Football Kenya Federation (FKF) branch chairmen from the Coast region have called on the federation’s national office to urgently intervene in the growing disputes affecting the FKF Division Two and Coast Region League.

The officials say complaints and disciplinary cases in the two competitions have increased, with some remaining unresolved for long periods, raising concerns over the administration and credibility of football leagues in the region.

Mombasa FKF Chairman Alamin Ahmed Abdalla, Tana River FKF Chairman Ilu Odha Hiyes, and Kwale FKF Chairman Hamisi Mwakoja say they are ready to present their grievances to the FKF national office in a bid to find lasting solutions and safeguard the future of football at the Coast.

Speaking to Citizen Digital in Mombasa after meeting with several clubs, the officials called for greater transparency, fairness, and professionalism in the running of the leagues.

Abdalla said branch chairmen are increasingly being sidelined from the management of competitions, despite being responsible for football administration at the grassroots.

“The situation now is not looking good. We have to streamline how the league is run.

“As chairmen, we are not involved in any way and it is being micro-managed, leaving us in the situation we are in,” said Abdalla.

Tana River FKF Chairman Ilu Odha Hiyes highlighted challenges facing clubs from his county, particularly when it comes to match officiating.

“Especially for us in Tana River, our teams travel on match day only to find that there are no referees.

“We also have many unresolved cases, with some leagues even ending while cases are still pending. We must rectify this,” said Hiyes.

Kwale FKF Chairman Hamisi Mwakoja said the branch officials would formally table their concerns before the FKF national office and push for decisive action.

“We have to get a solution, a different direction, and save our football. We have to run our leagues professionally,” said Mwakoja.

He also called for referees to be appointed according to their qualifications and the level of competition to help address concerns over officiating.

“We are going to push for only qualified referees to be allowed to officiate at their respective levels to avoid the reported bias in our leagues,” he added.

The dispute has also exposed divisions within the administration of football at the Coast, with allegations that FKF NEC member Gabriel Mghendi has sided with the FKF chairmen from Kilifi, Lamu, and Taita Taveta to run the league exclusively.

Meanwhile, Abdalla has urged Mombasa-based clubs to remain patient as they await the implementation of a pledge by Governor Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir to support teams with officiating costs.

Abdalla said the county government has already fulfilled its commitment to pay affiliation fees for Mombasa teams competing at different levels, with discussions now underway on how to extend the support to match officiating fees.

“I am happy our Governor Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir met his promise on paying affiliation fees to all Mombasa teams at all levels.

“We are now working on how the county will also pay the officiating fees. I urge all the teams to be patient as we push for it,” said Abdalla.