Football Kenya Federation Vice President McDonald Mariga has taken his fight to the Sports Disputes Tribunal, seeking to halt disciplinary proceedings launched against him by the federation’s own committee — a dramatic legal move that lays bare the deepening governance crisis gripping Kenyan football.
Court documents filed on May 27 show Mariga has formally petitioned the tribunal, naming the FKF Disciplinary Committee as the main respondent, with the FKF Migori Branch listed as an interested party. His lawyers argue that the disciplinary process is unjust and “violates established rules and regulations” governing the federation.
This is no ordinary football row. It is a sitting vice president going to court to fight the disciplinary arm of the very organisation he was elected to help lead.
The fallout traces back to April 24, when nine of fourteen FKF National Executive Committee members — led by Mariga — voted to suspend FKF President Hussein Mohammed, Acting General Secretary Dennis Gicheru, and NEC member Abdulahi Yusuf Ibrahim. The trio stood accused of involvement in an alleged Ksh42.8 million fraud scandal, tied to the irregular procurement of an insurance policy for the 2024 African Nations Championship, which Kenya co-hosted. Following the vote, Mariga was installed as acting federation president.
But the gambit backfired. FIFA intervened swiftly and decisively. In a letter dated May 27, the global football body dismissed the attempted suspensions, stating that the Mariga-led faction had failed to comply with Article 41 of the FKF Constitution — a ruling that effectively pulled the rug from under Mariga’s feet.
In the wake of the failed suspension attempt, Mariga found himself on the receiving end of four proposed disciplinary charges: conduct prejudicial to the interests of football, bringing the game into disrepute, abuse of office, and failure to act in the federation’s best interests.
The Sports Disputes Tribunal will now determine whether the disciplinary proceedings can go ahead — a ruling that could either rein in the crisis or deepen it further.
What began as an attempt to hold federation officials accountable for alleged financial misconduct has since unravelled into a messy leadership battle, with divisions at the top threatening to destabilise Kenyan football at a critical period.
For Mariga, a former Serie A star whose entry into football administration was seen as a fresh start for the sport, the tribunal showdown represents a sharp fall from grace — and the outcome could define the future of FKF leadership for years to come.
