NAIROBI, Kenya, November 7- The Sports Ministry has moved in to subdue the momentum that the newly elected Football Kenya Association (FKA) has been conducting its business since it came into office.
On Monday, Sports Minister, Dr. Paul Otuoma urged the newly elected team led by Sam Nyamweya to embrace consultation as it seeks to execute the mandate it was given two weeks ago at the unified football elections.
Consequently, the Government appointed Harambee Stars Management Board (HSMB) that was reported to have stepped down last week will continue being in charge of the national team until the new office sets up mechanisms to take it under their charge.
“The mandate to run football lies with this team that has been elected but we also want not to be reckless.
“This team is just coming in, it needs to settle down, it needs a proper system to hand over, so let us not to be rushed, the responsibility is theirs at the end of the day but we cannot de-gazette HSMB, we want this team (FKA) to smoothly transit,” Otuoma stressed.
He was speaking after Nyamweya and his National Executive Office made a call at the ministry for consultations with HSMB chair, Evans Kidero, Kenyan Premier League (KPL) who were represented by their CEO, Jack Oguda and MultiChoice Kenya Managing Director, Stephen Isaboke who held brief for the league’s sponsors SuperSport.
The meeting was called after Nyamweya’s office made a raft of announcements last week among them the dissolution of HSMB and a probe into SuperSport’s mega deal with KPL.
While stressing to need to have the board in place in the interim, Otuoma pointed out the difficult task of managing the affairs of the national team that could overbear the newly elected office if not managed properly.
“Trying to burden these people almost immediately so that again we start hearing those stories, the team is stranded, there are no air tickets, let them settle in, see their sources of revenue, let them see how they will raise their revenue or that baby will not be able to work,” he charged.
In his remarks, Nyamweya called on all football stakeholders to work in tandem as he called for a common front in the administration of the sport.
“We are now charged with the responsibility of running the federation and nobody else. KPL is under us but we don’t want to antagonise them but let them consult with us so that we can work with harmony.
“They have done a fantastic job and should they want to make a decision, let them talk to us and we agree.”
On HSMB, he added, “Let the board and federation sit quietly and see how the transition will take off. We will take over eventually and the chairman of the board and I will sit to see how this will happen.”
Earlier, Nyamweya had announced that the board had stepped down and would be re-constituted afresh with the chair, Kidero being retained in his capacity.