Mariga’s Expulsion: Why FIFA and CAF May Be Reluctant to Intervene in FKF Dispute

The expulsion of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice-president McDonald Mariga and six other National Executive Committee members has sparked fresh debate over the future of Kenyan football. However, despite the controversy surrounding the November 7 Special General Meeting in Meru, there are reasons why FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) may be reluctant to intervene directly.

First, the FKF General Assembly is the federation’s supreme decision-making organ, with powers provided under its constitution. The assembly maintains that it exercised its authority under Articles 16 and 24 in removing the seven officials over alleged constitutional violations, including failure to attend meetings and unauthorised communication on behalf of the federation.

Secondly, FIFA and CAF representatives were present during the Meru meeting. Their attendance does not necessarily mean they endorsed every decision, but it complicates arguments that the process took place entirely outside international football’s oversight.

More importantly, international football governing bodies generally respect the autonomy of national federations and their internal decision-making structures. They are unlikely to reverse an internal administrative decision simply because one faction disputes its legitimacy.

However, Mariga has raised serious questions about due process, alleging that he and his colleagues were denied an opportunity to defend themselves. He has also challenged the use of acclamation instead of secret ballots, arguing that the procedure violated the FKF Constitution.

Mariga has since confirmed that he has submitted his case to FIFA, seeking intervention and a review of the controversial decision.

Nevertheless, FIFA is likely to examine whether there were genuine breaches of its regulations rather than automatically overturning the General Assembly’s resolutions. CAF could similarly leave the matter to the relevant football judicial structures unless a clear regulatory violation emerges.

Ultimately, Mariga’s biggest challenge is providing sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the expulsion violated established football governance procedures. Without compelling evidence, FIFA and CAF may prefer to allow FKF’s internal mechanisms to resolve the dispute.

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