The nation has spoken, unequivocally calling for the resignation of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa and his entire executive committee in the aftermath of Harambee Stars humiliating 6-0 aggregate loss to Mali in 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The sound of the national callout is loud and clear, the Kenyan public is gatvol with the way the national association, with Mwendwa and his cronies at the helm, are running football.
The nation is urging the FKF leadership to undergo a major shake-up because they have outlived their usefulness at the Kandanda House.
It is not the first and will not be the last time the public asks Mwendwa to step down in the interest of progress in the running of the biggest sport in the country. Many football leaders have been making numerous calls for his resignation but it seems the national sport belongs to those who govern it.
Till date, in the long history of Kenyan football, Mwendwa stands out albeit unenviable as the one with the heaviest moral burden.
Harambee Stars should be treated as a national assest and his executive committee, who must own up to the consequences of their actions.
FKF recently appointed German-Turkish coach Engin Firat as the senior national team head coach knowing very well that he has not achieved anything in his coaching career, which is a prerequisite for the position.
In support of the FKF decision, Mwendwa told local television station NTV that the Harambee Stars lacked quality and even if they were to be coached by Jose Mourinho(Roma manager) or Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, the Stars won’t still qualify for World Cup.
For the past six years stakeholders have accused the FKF president of being a dictator, a bully and a control freak who used the association’s money to fight personal battles, sign off deals and sideline former chief executives.
The chickens have come home to roost because former footballers are irritated on the manner in which the football is being run in the country.
Ex-Harambee Stars captain Macdonald Mariga on Wednesday hit out at FKF President Nick Mwendwa over his recent comments regarding Kenyan footballing talent.
The former international ,who won the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010, responded via his official Twitter handle, saying,
“I’m appalled by FKF President Nick Mwendwa’s sentiments made on live television that Kenya has no talented football players to compete with other nations. This is an insult and disrespect to the current, former & all upcoming footballers who have continuously suffered playing under his reign, the players have shown immense pride and patriotism to represent the Kenyan flag in various international assignments and this is what they get in return,” tweeted Mariga.
“For 7 years under his leadership, Football in Kenya has gone backwards and no progress whatsoever and for that we demand for his immediate apology and resignation as FKF boss.”
At this stage of Kenyan football and after suffering a humiliating defeat in the hands of Mali, it could only be honorable for him to resign with honour.
Failure of Nick Mwendwa to toe the path of honour should be met with an impeachment by the executive members of FKF.
We have all seen the legacy of corruption emplaced by Mwendwa over the years. He needs to yield space for someone else to dismantle the structures of corruption and restore financial sanity to the Kandanda House.
After all, any man that stays longer than necessary on his excreta should expect to get chased from the spot by vexatious flies.
