FKF expels seven NEC members after police teargas disrupts Meru meeting

The Football Kenya Federation voted to expel seven executive members after a Meru meeting was disrupted, though accounts of what happened differ.

What happened

The 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][3]. The sources differ on where the teargas was used. [1] says it was used at the main entrance, while [3] quotes the federation saying it was discharged into the meeting room. The sources do not include a police account of the operation.

The FKF General Assembly then resolved to expel seven National Executive Committee (NEC) members, including Vice-President McDonald Mariga, 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 in Kenya are searching for “nec”. They cover the Meru meeting and its aftermath, which concerns NEC members [1][2][3], but none links search interest to this event, so this explainer cannot confirm what is driving the searches.

Key facts

• Vote: 65 delegates voted in favour of the expulsions. AFC Leopards chair Boniface Ambani was the only one to oppose [2][3].
• Crowd: According to [1], citing [3], hundreds of youths had gathered at the hotel before the police operation.
• Defence: According to [3], FKF president Hussein Mohammed said the seven had been invited to defend themselves but declined to do so or send a legal representative.
• Dispute: Mariga and NEC member Dan Shikanda have dismissed their expulsion, according to [2]. Shikanda described the meeting as illegal and said genuine delegates were locked out [2].
• Gaps: The extracts end before a full account of the police operation. The violations behind the expulsions are not described [3].

What to watch

Watch for a police response, which none of the sources includes [1][2][3]. Also watch for the FKF to set out the alleged constitutional violations, and for whether Mariga and Shikanda challenge the expulsions, as they have already dismissed them [2]. The differing accounts of where the teargas was used are not resolved in the sources.

Sources

1. [1] FKF expels seven NEC members after teargas disrupts Meru meeting - Nairobi Tea
2. [2] FKF moves to expel seven NEC members after disrupted Meru meeting - Nairobi Tea
3. [3] FKF expels seven NEC members after disrupted Meru meeting, sources report - Nairobi Tea

Compiled by the NairobiCity trend desk from the sources above.