FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga The leadership wrangle within Kenyan football has deepened after the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moved to formally disown the planned launch of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Season 5, terming the process unconstitutional and procedurally flawed.
In a strongly worded letter dated May 4 and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom PLC (Safaricom PLC), the NEC stated that any partnership or agreement concluded without its approval is “null, irregular, and contrary to the provisions of the FKF Constitution.”
Signed by FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga on behalf of the committee, the communication underscores what NEC described as its exclusive mandate over strategic, financial, and partnership decisions within the federation. The committee insists that its authority cannot be bypassed in matters touching on official football development programmes.
“Following the recent announcement and planned launch of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Season 5, FKF National Executive Committee wishes to clarify that any agreement or partnership arrangement undertaken without the approval of the NEC is null, irregular, and contrary to the provisions of the FKF Constitution, which vests oversight and decision-making authority on all strategic, financial, and partnership matters in the NEC,” the statement reads in part.
The NEC further cautioned that all external stakeholders engaging with the federation must adhere strictly to established governance structures, warning that deviations undermine institutional integrity and procedural accountability.
It reiterated that it remains the “supreme decision-making organ” of the federation, and therefore, all major agreements must pass through its approval channels.
Despite the firm tone, the committee sought to balance its position with recognition of Safaricom’s longstanding contribution to grassroots football development in Kenya.
The letter acknowledges the telecommunications company’s role in nurturing young talent through various youth-focused initiatives, including the widely popular Chapa Dimba tournament.
However, the NEC urged restraint in the rollout of Season 5 of the competition, calling for a pause in implementation until proper governance procedures are observed. It emphasised that structured engagement between the parties would only be possible once constitutional requirements are fully met.
“The NEC remains open to structured engagement once these procedural matters are corrected,” the statement added, signalling a willingness to revisit the partnership under revised conditions.
The declaration throws the future of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Season 5 — a tournament that has grown into one of Kenya’s most influential youth football platforms — into a state of uncertainty.
Over the years, the competition has been credited with identifying and nurturing emerging talent from across the country, feeding both local leagues and national team structures.
The internal position taken by the NEC now raises questions over coordination within FKF’s leadership hierarchy and its relationship with long-standing development partners. Safaricom is yet to issue an official response to the letter or clarify whether the planned launch will proceed as scheduled.
The NEC statement was supported by several of its members, including Vice President McDonald Mariga Wanyama, Central representative Robert Kenneth Macharia, Lower Rift representative Peter Kamau Chege, Upper Rift representative Bernard Korir Lagat, Western representative Caleb Sikobe Amwayi, Women’s representative Violet Kerubo Momanyi, Nyanza representative Collins Opiyo Kalee, Coast representative Gabriel Mghendi, and Nairobi representative Daniel Akala Shikanda.
Their collective backing underscores the breadth of concern within the committee over governance compliance and decision-making procedures in the federation’s external partnerships.
As the standoff unfolds, attention now shifts to whether dialogue between FKF and Safaricom will be initiated to resolve the impasse, or whether the disagreement will further strain one of Kenyan football’s most visible youth development collaborations.
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