Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed Launches Bid For FKF Presidency 

  _{Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed launched his bid for FKF Presidency at the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi on Wednesday August 29, 2024. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO}  

NAIROBI, Kenya- Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed has launched his bid for the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Presidency ahead of the scheduled football elections set for November this year.

His move themed  ‘A Fresh Start’ comes after the FKF Annual General Meeting held in Nairobi last Saturday that ratified some of the contentious clauses that had barred most of the candidates from contesting in the football polls.

“In just a few years, the quality of play, quality of coaching, quality of refereeing, quality of personnel within the football ecosystem in general have deteriorated exponentially to unacceptable levels. The lack of talent development programs, lack of business-oriented strategies, managerial ineptitude, non – compliance with the law, and lack of transparency and accountability has taken Kenyan football to the doldrums.It is unacceptable,” Mohammed said.

“Today, I am here to tell you that we can take our football to greater heights. We can transform our football into a viable and sustainable social economic pillar of our country. In order to achieve this, we must bravely address the ills that have bedevilled our beloved sport and offer ourselves as solution providers. Ladies and Gentlemen, football stakeholders, it is in this regard that I am announcing today my candidature for the President of Football Kenya Federation, ” he told the pact Kenya National Theatre auditorium where he officially launched his bid in a colourful ceremony.

He further proceeded: “In the coming weeks, I will take my message to the delegates of Kenyan football. I will talk about the importance of having quality leadership, integrity, transparency and accountability in the administration of the sport. Kenyan football is an untapped industry that has the potential of generating billions of shillings towards development of the GDP of the country.”

Incase elected, Mohammed pledged to unite all former players with a vision to set up a national football museum to display Kenya’s football memorabilia, rich history and culture.

He has plans to upgrade the country’s football infrastructures, bring the private sector on board, uplift women’s game, give the fans a better match-day experience and set up an Integrity Task Force unit to unclench match fixing that has bedevilled the local league.

His candidature was endorsed by football legends and ex-Harambee Stars players including Allan Wanga, Timo Kibune, Titus Mulama, Simon Mulama, Titus Mulama, Denis Oliech, Boniface Ambani, Jerry Santos, Innocent Mutiso among others.

Football legends who gave his bid the green light included George Sunguti, Bobby Ogola , Mickey Weche, James Nandwa among others.

“We are currently not doing well in the sport, our facilities too are wanting ,” said former Harambee Stars and AFC Leopards SC striker Wanga who was part of a podcast discussion during the launch.

_{Former Harambee Stars striker Allan Wanga (second right) takes part in a podcast discussion during the launch. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO}

Speaking from his base in the US, Kibune called for good leadership and proper marketing for the sport.

” My heart goes out to former players, they too need inclusion in the game,” said Kibune via teleconferencing.

Titus too exerted his voice from his base in Sweden noting that the game needs proper  accountability and good governance to progress.

Former Harambee Starlets striker, Neddy Atieno, called for a safer environment for women players in Kenya.

She said women players are not empowered financially and this forces them sometimes into early marriages to make ends meet, and this has resulted into Gender Based Violence unions where some players have even lost their lives.

” I have played the game for a long time, but I have nothing tangible to show for it. I can’t even sustain myself financially,” Atieno stated.

EALA Member of Parliament Hassan Omar urged Mohammed to make Harambee Stars his priority once elected elected in office.

“Kindly build a formidable squad that will ply trade for the country at the 2027 African Cup of Nations that we will host,” Omar said.