'We need accountability' - Mariga vows to crackdown on corruption if elected on Hussein Mohamed's FKF presidential ticket

FKF president Hussein Mohammed (left) and his deputy McDonald Mariga.

'We need accountability' - Mariga vows to crackdown on corruption if elected on Hussein Mohamed's FKF presidential ticket

Stephen Awino 12:12 - 14.10.2024

Former Harambee Stars midfielder McDonald Mariga is keen to ensure there is accountability if he gets elected into FKF leadership alongside Hussein Mohammed.

Former Harambee Stars midfielder McDonald Mariga has vowed to crackdown on corruption in Kenyan football if he is elected alongside Hussein Mohammed in the December 7 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) election.

Mariga was finally unveiled as the running mate of Extreme Sports boss Mohammed at in a ceremony in Nairobi on Friday, October 11.

The two will team up for one ticket that they hope will to change the Kenyan football scene if they are elected when the national polls are held on December 7.

"First of all the corruption I think stems from contract with sponsors. For instance SuperSport when they were sponsors engaged the clubs directly but it reached a point where the money started going through officials and it attracted a lot of complaints," said Mariga via Citizen TV.

"Even now for example they have this deal with Azam TV and if you go to the clubs they don't know the contract Azam has with the federation. There is no accountability. You are given money, even one million but you don't know. And that's where the corruption comes in because their is no openness with the clubs," he added.

Mariga revealed plans to attract sponsors for the league and clubs and ensure the KPL clubs get their dues.

"We have like KCB sponsoring a Tanzanian league and we have to ask ourselves why? Because why is a Kenya brand sponsoring a foreign league and not the local one."

"That's the issue we have in Kenyan football and we are coming as fresh peopl and I believe we will be able to convince these organization to enter into sponsorhip deals," assured Mariga.

The duo of Mariga and Mohammed are poised submit their nomination papers to the electoral board on Monday ahead of the December elections.

They enter a fiercely contested election that has attracted ex-Gor Mahia player Sammy ‘Kempes’ Owino, Tom Alila, the former FKF NEC member for Nyanza, Kakamega Homeboyz boss Cleophas Shimanyula, Gor Mahia secretary general Sam Ochola, ex-FKF boss Sam Nyamweya with incumbent Nick Mwendwa also declaring interest to go for a third term.