Goons were after my life: Mariga recalls FKF’s Meru ordeal

The embattled Football Kenya Federation Vice President McDonald Mariga has openly claimed that he was the main target at the chaotic FKF’s Special General Meeting convened by the delegates on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

Speaking on a local radio interview on Saturday, November 14, 2026, the expelled FKF vice president stated that delegates allied to him were pelted with stones and chased away as they attempted to access the SGM’s venue.

According to Mariga, youths, armed with crude weapons, had occupied the venue and its surrounding areas in the early hours of the day, prompting police officers to intervene and disperse the group as tensions rose ahead of the meeting.

Asked on why he opted to arrive at the Meru hotel under tight security, the UEFA Champions League winner said:

“You know when your life is in danger, and the police are telling you that your life is in danger, with over 300 goons outside and other 100 inside…the police themselves said they must protect me. It is not the police who lobbed teargas canisters, it was the goons who attacked other NEC members, and I was the only one who remained in that police vehicle, they warned me against using my private car,” Mariga narrated.

On being targeted, Mariga added: “ I was the target, the police had done their intelligence on Friday and were told that the armed goons were after me. The message was circulating saying that Mariga must leave the SGM dead,” he added.

On the teargas incident, Mariga added: “I wanted to access a meeting convened by FIFA and CAF observers, but Hussein Mohammed chased me away, it was his police that lobbed teargas canisters at the delegates, he also had his own police.”

After the heated SGM, Mariga was expelled from his position at the federation as well as a member of the National Executive Committee over rebellious acts against the Hussein Mohammed-led federation.

The former Inter Milan midfielder was kicked out alongside Women’s Representative Kerubo Momanyi, Nairobi NEC member Dan Shikanda, Coast representative Gabriel Mghendi, Nyanza representative Collins Opiyo Kalee, Central representative Robert Macharia and Upper Rift Valley representative Bernard Lagat.

“The FKF General Assembly has resolved to expel seven NEC members following the Special General Meeting held in Meru on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The Congress further agreed that the seven remain subject to any additional sanctions by the judicial bodies of FKF, CAF and FIFA,” FKF said in a statement.

Earlier, Mariga stated that delegates allied to him were pelted with stones and chased away as they attempted to access the venue of the SGM.

More than 100 youths were reported to have occupied the venue and its surrounding areas in the early hours of Saturday, prompting police officers to intervene and disperse the group as tensions rose ahead of the meeting.

The incident raised concerns over the security of delegates and the possibility of disruptions to the SGM, which was expected to address key issues facing the Football Kenya Federation.

“Some chairmen and delegates are locked outside, goons have chased the away, so I have to bring them here,” Mariga decried.

Commenting on the situation, Meru, FKF said: “KF is concerned by the circumstances surrounding the RDU operation at the Meru SGM venue, which disrupted proceedings before the meeting could commence, despite delegates being seated and ready to begin. The Federation will provide further updates as the situation develops,” the federation said in a statement on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

The Mariga versus FKF crisis exploded on April 24, 2026, when nine NEC members moved against Hussein, Acting General Secretary Dennis Gicheru and nominated NEC member Abdullahi Yusuf Ibrahim.

The Mariga-led group accused the three of wrongdoing linked to the procurement of insurance cover worth about Ksh42.48 million for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which Kenya co-hosted with Uganda and Tanzania.

The NEC resolution suspended the three officials and installed Mariga as acting FKF president pending investigations and a forensic audit. The group also called for FKF’s bank accounts to be frozen.

It was a dramatic attempt to change the leadership of the federation without waiting for the next electoral cycle.

The move was immediately challenged by Hussein’s camp, which rejected the suspension and questioned the legality of the NEC action.

The dispute quickly moved from FKF offices and boardrooms to the courts and the offices of the game’s international governing bodies.

The Sports Disputes Tribunal moved swiftly to stop the implementation of the April 24, 2026 resolutions, issuing temporary orders restraining the NEC from enforcing the decisions.

FIFA also began examining whether the NEC had followed the FKF constitution when it suspended Hussein and the other officials.

The world governing body sought records relating to how the emergency NEC meeting had been convened, whether there was a quorum, how the vote was conducted and whether the affected officials had been given an opportunity to respond.

That effectively killed the immediate attempt to install Mariga as FKF president.

Hussein remained in office, while the NEC was left deeply divided.

Meanwhile, the High Court in Siaya has suspended all the outcomes of the conclude FKF SGM until the matter is heard and determined, giving Mariga and the expelled allies a sigh of relief.

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