FKF moves to expel seven NEC members after disrupted Meru meeting

A Football Kenya Federation meeting in Meru was disrupted by police teargas and ended with a vote to expel seven executive members, though the accounts of what happened are disputed.

What happened

A Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Special General Meeting in Meru was disrupted on Saturday, November 7 [1][2]. According to the FKF, officers from the Police Rapid Deployment Unit fired teargas canisters into the room at Three Steers Hotel, where delegates had gathered, and the meeting had not started [2]. The sources differ on where the teargas was used. [1] says it was used at the main entrance, while the text of [3] quotes the federation saying it was discharged into the meeting room.

The FKF General Assembly then resolved to expel seven National Executive Committee (NEC) members, including Vice-President McDonald Mariga Wanyama, over alleged violations of the FKF Constitution [1][3]. The sources do not say what those violations were [3].

Why Kenyans are searching for it

The sources do not explain why people are searching for "meru", and none identifies a single cause for the interest. They cover the Meru meeting and its aftermath, so this explainer cannot say what is driving the searches.

Key facts

• Vote: Sixty-five delegates voted in favour of the expulsions. AFC Leopards chair Boniface Ambani was the only one to oppose [2][3].
• Crowd and delay: According to [1], citing [3], hundreds of youths had gathered at the hotel before the police operation. The meeting was scheduled for 9:00 am and had not started amid a tense standoff.
• Invitation to respond: According to [3], FKF president Hussein Mohammed said the seven had been invited to defend themselves but declined to do so or to send a legal representative.
• Dispute over the expulsions: Mariga and NEC member Dan Shikanda have dismissed their expulsion, according to [2].
• Competing account: Shikanda described the meeting as illegal and said genuine delegates were locked out [2].
• Police account: The sources do not include a police account of the operation [3].

What to watch

• The sources do not say what Mariga, Shikanda or the other expelled members will do next.
• The disputed accounts of where teargas was used, and whether genuine delegates were locked out, remain unresolved in these sources.
• The police side of the events is not included in these reports [3].

Sources

1. [1] Police in Kwale, Nairobi and Meru: drug seizure, fatal shooting and teargas - Nairobi Tea
2. [2] FKF expels seven NEC members after disrupted Meru meeting, sources report - Nairobi Tea
3. [3] FKF expels VP Mariga and six NEC members at disrupted Meru meeting - Nairobi Tea

Compiled by the NairobiCity trend desk from the sources above.