Former Kenya international MacDonald Mariga has vowed to address corruption and restore investor confidence in Kenyan football if he and his running mate, Hussein Mohamed, are elected in the upcoming FKF presidential elections on December 7. Mariga, who was unveiled as Mohamed’s running mate last Friday, emphasized that tackling corruption will be a key priority in their administration.
Speaking on *Sporty Monday* on Citizen TV, Mariga highlighted the deep-rooted corruption within Kenyan football, particularly during sponsorship agreements. He cited issues with funds not reaching the clubs directly, stating, “Corruption is evident during contract agreements with the sponsors. For example, sponsors like Supersport usually engaged directly with the clubs, but problems arose when individuals wanted the sponsorship funds to pass through them instead of going directly to the clubs.”
Mariga also shared that he initially intended to run for the FKF presidency but decided to join forces with Hussein Mohamed after discussions between their teams. “I wanted to seek the FKF Presidential seat, but Hussein Mohamed wanted us to work together. After a long period of consultation, we agreed to unite for the betterment of Kenyan football,” Mariga explained.
He criticized the poor management of football in Kenya, starting from the grassroots level, and pointed out the loss of key sponsors such as SportPesa and Supersport. “The Kenyan management is not run professionally, from how we manage youth football to the senior league. It’s very discouraging,” he said. Mariga also questioned why Kenyan brands, like KCB, sponsor leagues in other countries like Tanzania but not their own. “We are coming as a fresh team, and it’s important to convince our Kenyan brands to first sponsor our Kenya League,” he added.
Later on Monday, Hussein Mohamed and Mariga are expected to present their nomination papers to the FKF electoral board in Nairobi.
